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OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHC #9393 2960439
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O 221924Z OCT 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 8290-8291
UNCLAS STATE 109393
SENSITIVE
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED)
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AF AORC PREL SNAR UNCRIME UNGA
SUBJECT: UNGA: GUIDANCE FOR RESOLUTION ON UN AFRICAN
INSTITUTE FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF
OFFENDERS (UNAFRI) FOR 64TH UNGA
1. (U) This is an action request, see paragraph 3.
2. (U) SUMMARY: The UN General Assembly will consider its
annual resolution on the United Nations African Institute for
the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders
(UNAFRI) the week of October 26 in New York. The UNAFRI
resolution is expected to be adopted by consensus.
3.(SBU) ACTION REQUEST: USUN is authorized to join consensus
on the adoption of the UNGA resolution, entitled "United
Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the
Treatment of Offenders." The full text of the resolution is
included in paragraph 4 below.
4. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION:
United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime
and the Treatment of Offenders
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 63/196 of 18 December 2008 and all
other relevant resolutions,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General,* On
behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are
members of the African Group.
A/64/121
Bearing in mind that weaknesses in crime prevention lead to
subsequent difficulties at the level of crime control
mechanisms, and also bearing in mind the urgent need to
establish effective crime prevention strategies for Africa,
as well as the importance of law enforcement agencies and the
judiciary at the regional and subregional levels,
Aware of the devastating impact of new and more dynamic crime
trends on the national economies of African States and of the
fact that crime is a major obstacle to harmonious and
sustainable development in Africa,
Noting with concern that the existing criminal justice system
in most African countries does not have sufficiently skilled
personnel and infrastructure and is therefore ill equipped to
manage the emergence of new crime trends, and acknowledging
that weak laws and existing justice systems undermine efforts
to facilitate the prosecution of these new crime trends,
Bearing in mind the Revised African Union Plan of Action,
2007-2012, aimed at encouraging Member States to participate
in and own the regional initiatives for effective crime
prevention and good governance and strengthened justice
administration,
Emphasizing the need to create necessary coalitions with all
partners in the process of achieving effective crime
prevention policies,
Recognizing that the United Nations African Institute for the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders is a focal
point for all professional efforts aiming at promoting the
active cooperation and collaboration of Governments,
academics, institutions and scientific and professional
organizations and experts in crime prevention and criminal
justice,
Noting that the financial situation of the United Nations
African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the
Treatment of Offenders has greatly affected its capacity to
deliver its services to African Member States in an effective
and comprehensive manner,
1. Commends the United Nations African Institute for the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders for its
efforts to promote and coordinate regional technical
cooperation activities related to crime prevention and
criminal justice systems in Africa;
2. Also commends the initiative of the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime in strengthening its working relationship
with the Institute by supporting and involving the Institute
in the implementation of a number of activities, including
those contained in the Revised African Union Plan of Action,
2007-2012, on strengthening the rule of law and criminal
justice systems in Africa;
3. Reiterates the need to strengthen further the capacity of
the Institute to support national mechanisms for crime
prevention and criminal justice in African countries;
4. Notes the efforts of the Institute to establish contacts
with organizations in those countries which are promoting
crime prevention programmes and its maintenance of close
links with regional and subregional political entities, such
as the African Union Commission, the East African Community,
the Commission of the Economic Community of West African
States, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and
the Southern African Development Community;
5. Urges the States members of the Institute to continue to
make every possible effort to meet their obligations to the
Institute;
6. Welcomes the decision of the Governing Board of the
Institute, at its fourth extraordinary session, held in
Nairobi on 2 March 2009, to convene a conference of African
ministers in November 2009 to discuss measures for improving
the flow of resources to the Institute;
7. Also welcomes the introduction of a cost-sharing
initiative by the Institute in its execution of various
programmes with Member States, partners and United Nations
entities;
8. Urges all Member States and non-governmental organizations
and the international community to continue adopting concrete
practical measures to support the Institute in the
development of the requisite capacity and to implement its
programmes and activities aimed at strengthening crime
prevention and criminal justice systems in Africa;
9. Urges all States that have not already done so to consider
ratifying or acceding to the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols
thereto,2 as well as the United Nations Convention against
Corruption;3
10. Requests the Secretary-General to intensify efforts to
mobilize all relevant entities of the United Nations system
to provide the necessary financial and technical support to
the Institute to enable it to fulfill its mandate;
11. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue his
efforts to mobilize the financial resources necessary to
maintain the Institute with the core professional staff
required to enable it to function effectively in the
fulfillment of its mandated obligations;
12. Encourages the Institute to consider focusing on specific
and general vulnerabilities of each programme country and to
maximize the use of available initiatives to address crime
problems with existing funds, as well as available capacity,
by creating useful coalitions with regional and local
institutions;
13. Calls upon the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
to continue to work closely with the Institute;
14. Requests the Secretary-General to enhance the promotion
of regional cooperation, coordination and collaboration in
the fight against crime, especially in its transnational
dimension, which cannot be dealt with adequately by national
action alone;
15. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue making
concrete proposals, including for the provision of additional
core professional staff, to strengthen the programmes and
activities of the Institute and to report to the General
Assembly at its sixty-fifth session on the implementation of
the present resolution.
2 United Nations, Treaty Series, vols. 2225, 2237, 2241 and
2326, No. 39574.
3 Ibid., vol. 2349, No. 42146.
END TEXT
CLINTON