News Page

The Governmental Expert Group Meeting on the preparations for the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice concluded on Monday 29 September 2014. The meeting was organized by the Government of the State of Qatar in its capacity as the host of the Thirteenth Congress. Member States of the United Nations together with UNODC, the Secretariat of the Congress, participated in the meeting.

All delegations thanked the Government of Qatar for its generous hospitality and for providing Member States with an important platform to look at the Congress, its role, function and its outcome. Delegations commended Qatar for taking this initiative, which was the first of its kind in the context of the preparations for the Congress.

The Meeting was convened to facilitate discussion on the contribution that the Crime Congress could make to the deliberations on the post-2015 development agenda pursuant to ECOSOC resolution 2014/22, as well as to gather views on the way forward for the substantive preparation of the draft Doha declaration.

UNODC introduced the draft report on how the Crime Congress could contribute to the post-2015 development agenda taking place following the process established by the General Assembly. Many speakers noted that the Crime Congress would provide a unique opportunity for Member States and a broad spectrum of practitioners and relevant stakeholders, including civil society and academia, not only to discuss challenges and priorities in crime prevention and criminal justice, but also to highlight the links between crime prevention and criminal justice, the rule of law, human rights protection and sustainable development. Furthermore they stressed the importance for Member States to have a consistent approach, both at the national and international levels, in the discussions on the post-2015 development agenda in various processes.

Speakers emphasized the necessity of integrating issues related to children into the overall rule of law efforts, especially with regard to children deprived of their liberty and those who come into contact with the criminal justice system, including as witnesses or victims of crime.

Speakers also stressed the important role that youth play in crime prevention and criminal justice and in sustainable development, as well as the need to provide sufficient opportunities, including employment, to youth. Efforts towards poverty and inequality alleviation, particularly among the youth, were also considered as being closely linked to more effective crime prevention and criminal justice policies.

Delegations also stressed the importance of capacity building and the provision of technical assistance to national justice and law enforcement officials. In this regard, the valuable function that UNODC performs, in light of its expertise, in strengthening the capacity of the criminal justice systems and its institutions towards the promotion of the rule of law as part of the post 2015 development agenda was also highlighted.

Speaking to the media persons Ambassador Dr. Ahmad Hassan al Hammadi, Vice President of the governmental experts meeting organizing committee and chairman of the legal affairs department at Foreign Ministry noted that the experts meeting had achieved its goals, which witnessed more than 120 participants representing 42 countries. The discussions in the meeting included the statement on all the ideas and proposals put forward by the states in the context of the next declaration and this report will be sent to the UN to be circulated to delegates, in preparation for the meetings that will be held on 6 -7/11/2014 and on 6-7 / 12/2014 in Vienna.

Dr. Abdullah al Ansari, the Director General of the Directorate of legal affairs and international cooperation at Saudi Interior Ministry said that this conference was a unique experience, hosted by the State of Qatar and added more discussions on the Doha declaration 2015.

He expressed the pleasure of Saudi Arabia with the outcome of the recommendations and thanked the Government of the State of Qatar for the warm reception and generous hospitality and for their contributions in the extrapolation of the distinctive ideas of States with regard to the UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.