Governmental Experts Meeting on 13th UN Crime Congress Starts in Doha

Doha : The governmental experts meeting on the preparation of the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice which will be held in Doha in April2015, started on Saturday 27 September 2014. The experts’ meeting is attended by representatives of UN General Assembly, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other regional organizations. 

The meeting was inaugurated by legal adviser to the Qatar Minister of Interior Dr. Abdullah Yusuf al Mal, who is also the chairman of the UN Congress organizing committee. He conveyed the greetings of the H.E the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani for the successful conduction of meeting. He said the participation of all regional bodies in the meeting in fact shows the consideration and attention of the international society towards the 13th UN Crime Congress to be held in Doha in April 2015. He expressed the pride of Qatar to host the event pointing that this reflected the best practices adapted to crime prevention and criminal justice. He reiterated the commitment of the Government of Qatar to make all possible efforts for the organization and successful work of this congress, in coordination and follow-up with the United Nations Office on Drugs. 

Thereafter Dimitri Vlassis, Chief of the Corruption and Economic Crime Section Division for Treaty Affairs in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also highlighted in his speech the importance of the coming congress in 2015 in regards the huge presence in the experts’ meeting.  He noted that this meeting was an opportunity for the member states to focus internationally on the successful conduction of the next conference, adding that the outcome of this meeting will be referred to the permanent delegates in Vienna as well as the capitals of the participating countries. He said that this meeting will settle on the plan to formulate constructive cooperation on the Doha Declaration as he prioritized the guidance and vision of the participating countries, as a team for the success of the upcoming conference. He added that Qatar was offering comprehensive support and the right environment for the success of the conference and that we have all the requirements that make this important event a starting point for crime prevention and criminal justice and make Doha an important station to access of the conference, which is sponsored by the United Nations. 

After that Mr. Jason form United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reviewed the contents of the report prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, based on what received from the reviews and the responses of states and regional organizations, consultants on the basis of the memorandum which was sent to member states. 

The report included several themes , views and proposals on the prevention of crime , criminal justice and sustainable development as well as the challenges of sustainable development, the risk of organized and cross-border crimes and challenges posed by these crimes on development opportunities in the states and threats for peace.  The suggestions received by the UN Office were reviewed at the meeting of experts that pointed to the importance of utilizing all the relevant legal mechanisms to crime prevention and criminal justice, including with respect to human rights and protection of women and children and to promote legislation at the national level. 

HE Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri, Qatar's Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to the United Nations and international organizations in Vienna, said that Qatar had taken over special importance to the post 2015 development plan which was affirmed by HH the Emir in his speech in the General Assembly of the United Nations on Wednesday, 24 September 2014 that the objectives of the development plan for after 2015 constitutes a common vision on future generations.
There were fruitful discussions of all participating delegations as they unanimously underscored the importance of the Thirteenth Conference on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.