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Tag: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

  • UNODC train prosecutors of maritime, drug crimes

    UNODC train prosecutors of maritime, drug crimes

    The prosecution and conviction of criminal gangs involved in piracy and maritime crime in Nigeria is set to take a new shape, thanks to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

    The UNODC recently organised a training with financial supports from the United States – Department of States, for more than 30 participants consisting of Federal High Court Judges and Federal Prosecutors.

    Others include the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) legal officers, Nigerian Navy on international legal framework on piracy and maritime crime.

    The four-day capacity building workshop aimed at building the capacity of relevant officers connected with investigating, prosecuting and adjudication of piracy and other maritime related offences and the need to forge regional cooperation among nations in the Gulf of Guinea.

    The workshop was anchored by two international legal experts appointed by UNODC, Mr. Phillip Drew from Canada and Mr Giuseppe Sernia, the Programme Officer from the Global Maritime Crime Programme at the UNODC Regional Office in Dakar, Senegal.
    While damages from piracy in 2014 is estimated to be about 1 billion US dollars for the international community in the Gulf of Guinea with more than 1000 sailors attacked by pirates in the same region, prosecution for piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is currently almost absent as most states lack the relevant legal framework to handle such matters. In West and Central Africa, and particularly in the Gulf of Guinea (home to some of the biggest offshore oilfields in the world), maritime crime involves the hijacking of petrochemical tankers and attacks to other oil and petroleum storage and transportation platforms.
    In her opening remark, the newly appointed Representative for the Nigerian office of UNODC, Ms. Cristina Albertin, called on participants to take advantage of the capacity building workshop and work together against piracy and maritime crime in line with international legal frameworks and conventions.
    Declaring the workshop open, the Director of Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Saidu Diri, stressed the need for capacity building of prosecutors, investigators and judges to prepare for the challenges ahead; even as he observed that the paucity of judicial precedents on piracy in Nigeria suggests clearly that the prosecution of such offences is nearly absent. Adding that, “The challenge of narrowing facts of particular offences of piracy to existing law is most harrowing for the prosecutors. In some cases, the facts may have to be used to state lesser offences and the suspect escapes appropriate criminal sanctions. This consequently erodes confidence of the public.”
    The Director of Prosecution who was represented by Mrs Nkiruka Jones-Nebo called for speedy passage of the NIMASA Bill on the suppression of piracy in Nigeria and praised the ‘the technical assistance being rendered by the UNODC, the United States Government and other development partners’, assuring all that “this workshop will bear fruits that will last.”
    On his part, the Adviser on Maritime at the US Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Ayodele Olosunde, said the US Government will like to see “Prosecution of piracy and maritime criminal activities prosecuted domestically and internationally.”
    Currently with the financial support of United States of America, the Global Maritime Crime Programme of UNODC particularly assists in legal reforms, coordination and awareness raising for prosecutors, judges and legal experts in Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon and Cameroon.
    While mornings were dedicated to lessons on the different subjects, during which participants were stimulated to intervene with questions or comments, afternoon sessions were dedicated to mock trials. These mock trials were based on some of the most important cases by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), or fictional, addressing the application of all major maritime conventions and the weak spots in prosecution when a maritime crime is involved, including evidence collection and chain of custody and jurisdiction.

  • Consequences of corruption on International anti-corruption day

    Consequences of corruption on International anti-corruption day

    The Executive Director of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov, has said that corruption and bribery are serious impediments to sustainable development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda throughout the world, if left unchecked.

    Fedotov also noted that these serious crimes breach the essential trust between citizens and governments, as well as businesses and consumers.

    According to him, when corruption and bribery succeed the goal of fairness and equality fails; an entire communities can be left without infrastructure, hospitals or schools.

    “But, corruption also undermines vital tendering processes, damages industries and debases competition.

    “Where corruption is rampant countries face poor inward investment, and blemished reputations. Corruption is, therefore, a short term victory for the few that deeply harms the many.

    “For all these reasons, International Anti-Corruption Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the work undertaken against corruption and bribery, but also to chart future efforts to rid the world of these crimes.

    “This year was another milestone in these activities. The sixth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) came together in St. Petersburg to hold a dialogue on global anti-corruption activities,” he said.

    The UNODC Director, speaking in a statement further observed that there were a number of successes, including in the areas of asset recovery, prevention of corruption and bribery, the development of public/private partnerships and the launch of the second cycle of the review mechanism under UNCAC.

    His words: “In his first ever message to the Conference, the UN Secretary-General stressed the need to end corruption as a means of achieving sustainable development.

    “He was echoed by almost all speakers, who further underlined the importance of Goal 16, which seeks to substantially reduce corruption and bribery, as well as promote access to justice and effective, accountable and transparent institutions.

    “In December, we will celebrate a decade in the life of UNCAC. It will be a time to pore over lessons learned and acknowledge the remarkable impact of the peer review mechanism, which has united countries in the mutual desire to fully implement the convention.

    “The review mechanism has brought into stark relief the greater-than-ever need for technical assistance to help governments improve their anti-corruption regimes.

    “To succeed in this endeavour, I trust the international community will live up to its commitment that made the Convention a reality and rally to support the efforts of States Parties, particularly developing countries.

    “Whether acting bilaterally or multilaterally, donors and technical assistance providers have a critical role to play in the coming years to help achieve full compliance with the Convention.

    “But, in addition to governments, international organizations, academia, the private sector, civil society and professional associations must work together, with a joint sense of purpose, if we are to succeed.

    “On this important day for global anti-corruption efforts, I pledge that UNODC will continue to work with its many partners to use UNCAC as a platform to end corruption, and in doing so, make the world a fairer place.”