DISCORSO PRONUNCIATO DALL’ AMBASCIATORE INIGO LAMBERTINI, VICE RAPPRESENTANTE PERMANENTE DELL’ITALIA PRESSO LE NAZIONI UNITE, IN OCCASIONE DELL’APPROVAZIONE DELLA RISOLUZIONE SU “STRENGTHENING THE UNITED NATIONS CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM, IN PARTICULAR ITS TECHNICAL COOPERATION CAPACITY” (23 novembre 2015)    

Mr. Chairman,



It is Italy’s honor once again this year to introduce, on behalf of the co-sponsors, the draft resolution, “Strengthening the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Program, in particular, its Technical Cooperation Capacity” (document A/C.3/70/L.8).

Last year the resaolution was widely co-sponsored by Member States and we are confident that other Member States will join us from the floor and through the electronic procedure the Committee is providing for the first time.


Mr. Chairman,


There are few issues on the UN agenda as global as the fight against transnational organized crime.
Moving on from the milestone represented by the Palermo Convention adopted 15 years ago, we need a coordinated, effective and global response to this scourge, which no State can hope to defeat on its own.

Cooperation among States, relevant United Nations bodies and dedicated international entities becomes more and more important, and the widespread escalation of violence cannot but reinforce our shared responsibilities and commitments in this respect.


Mr. Chairman,

As in the past, the three main purposes of the resolution are:

First, to build consensus on and highlight the fight against transnational organized crime in the broader framework of the United Nations’ policies and actions.

Second, to promote the universality and implementation of all pertinent United Nations instruments,

Third, to confirm the membership’s support for the technical assistance activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in this field.


Mr. Chairman,

Based on the broad and strong consensus of the past years, the resolution we are introducing has streamlined the previous text and introduced clearer and implementable languages, in the meantime paying close attention to the many important current events and phenomena.

In particular:

• The approval of General Assembly res.70/1 and the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development;

• The approval of the Doha Declaration as the final document of the XIII UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice;

• the growing attention of the UN System to new phenomena associated with international terrorism. Let me cite, for example, Security Council resolutions 2195 (2014) and 2199 (2015);

• the debate in New York on countering trafficking and the illegal consumption of drugs in the run up to the UNGASS to be held in April 2016;

• the approval of the common platform on detained persons, known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules”;

• the General Assembly’s approval in 2015 of a major resolution on sensitive and particularly topical issues, such as the protection of the artistic and cultural heritage of Iraq and the protection of wildlife;

• finally, the heinous and unacceptable criminal activities related to the different forms of migration.


Mr. Chairman, 

Moving on from these major events, the resolution strikes a balance between the need to combat organized crime in all of its forms, and at the same time, protect the human rights of communities and victims of crime, as well as of the perpetrators of criminal acts, in accordance with international standards and the principles of the Rule of Law.

Finally, advanced languages have been introduced with reference to phenomena related to terrorism. While recognizing a growing link between terrorists and organized groups in some cases, the resolution dwells on specific threats posed by terrorism.

The importance of strengthening international cooperation is clearly highlighted, and we call upon all Member States to contribute actively in this respect.

Let me conclude, Mr. Chairman, by reiterating that, as in the past, we are counting on the broadest support of Member States.