Preparatory Meeting for 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention Opens in Doha

Doha, September 27 (QNA) - Around 120 delegates from over 40 countries assembled here Saturday to discuss the preparations for the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice that Qatar will host from April 12 to 19, 2015. The three-day Governmental Expert Meeting opened at Sharq Village and Spa under the chairmanship of Legal Advisor to HE the Interior Minister Major General and Chairman of the Organizing Committee Dr. Abdullah Youssuf Al-Mal who welcomed the international delegates and ministry officials. In his address to the gathering of experts, Dr Al-Mal said, "The Government of the State of Qatar is doing its best to efficiently organize a memorable 13th Congress which will discuss global best practices in crime prevention and criminal justice." This expert meeting will lay the foundations for further discussions for the draft Doha Declaration at the 13th Congress here in April 2015, he said and wished success to the participants. In his opening remarks, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Corruption and Economic Crime Branch Chief Dimitri Vlassis said, "The high attendance of so many delegates at this expert meeting reaffirms and testifies the importance of the 13th Congress." He express thanks for the "generosity, hospitality of the National Organising Committee and the preparations for the Congress which began two years ago". The Commission and members have drawn up a high quality substantive agenda for the Congress and this meeting of experts is a good opportunity to shape the preparations, he said. Vlassis said, "At this expert meeting we want to listen to the view of delegates and understand what their priorities. "We have the regional reports of the meetings, one of those, for Western Asia was held here earlier in February. We understand where the convergence of delegates from these reports. We believe this meeting will give a clearer picture of what their priorities." In his address to the assembly, Qatar's Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to the United Nations and international organizations in Vienna HE Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri said, "Qatar reaffirms its partnership with UNODC and other groups to achieve the goals of the 13th Congress." He stressed on taking a balanced approach and sustainable development. He added that Qatar attaches special importance to the post -2015 development plan, referring to HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's speech before the UN General Assembly on Wednesday when His Highness reiterated that the new post -2015 sustainable development goals constitute a common vision on future generations, and emphasized that the State of Qatar will continue its efforts to build a partnership with the United Nations, to adopt a post -2015 development plan that meets the aspirations of the peoples of all countries and regional blocs. The experts discussed the draft report its salient features and the feedback after the welcome by Dr Al Mal at the opening session. The provisional agenda of the Thirteenth Congress will contain the following substantive agenda items: Successes and challenges in implementing comprehensive crime prevention and criminal justice policies and strategies to promote the rule of law at the national and international levels, and to support sustainable development; International cooperation, including at the regional level, to combat transnational organized crime; Comprehensive and balanced approaches to prevent and adequately respond to new and emerging forms of transnational crime; National approaches to public participation in strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice. (END)