New York, 12 April 2015
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly
Prior to the opening of the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Doha, the President of the General Assembly (PGA), H.E. Mr. Sam Kahamba Kutesa held a bilateral meeting with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar. H.E. Dr. Khalid Bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, also attended the meeting.
President Kutesa thanked His Highness the Emir of Qatar for hosting the 13th UN Congress on Criminal Justice and for Qatar”s support to the work of the United Nations, and in particular to the General Assembly.
The President and His Highness the Emir discussed the priorities of the 69th session, including the ongoing formulation of a transformative post-2015 development agenda that will bring about tangible benefits and improved livelihood for all. They also highlighted the importance of ensuring a successful outcome from the Third Conference on Financing for Development (FFD) to be held in July in Addis Ababa, with concrete deliverables to support the implementation of the new agenda. President Kutesa and the Emir of Qatar also addressed climate change as a defining issue and challenge, and the importance of galvanizing action for advancing gender equality and empowerment of women. The President and the Emir also discussed the importance of further strengthening the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations. Furthermore, they exchanged views on peaceful resolution of conflicts and peacebuilding, revitalization of the General Assembly and the reform of the Security Council.
President Kutesa and His Highness the Emir condemned the recent wave of terrorist attacks across the world. They called for unwavering resolve to combat terrorism as well as continued engagement by Member States and stakeholders to foster peaceful co-existence and countering extremism and intolerance. The PGA briefed His Highness the Emir on the High-Level Thematic Debate on Promoting Tolerance and Reconciliation: Fostering Peaceful, Inclusive Societies and Countering Violent Extremism, which he will convene on 21 and 22 April 2015 at the General Assembly in conjunction with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the High-Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.
13th UN Crime Congress opens in Doha
President Kutesa at the opening of the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. To his right: Qatar Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani; His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar; and H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UN. Doha, Qatar.
Addressing the plenary of the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice which was chaired by Qatar Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani and attended, among other dignitaries, by H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Martin Sajdik, President of the Economic and Social Council, President Kutesa stated that “Whether it is armed violence by criminal gangs or drug trafficking human trafficking or trafficking of human organs terrorism or cybercrime corruption or other forms of transnational organized crime there is a compelling case for enhanced international action to combat and dismantle networks and platforms that perpetuate these crimes.”
The PGA urged Member States to “exert all efforts to create peaceful, just and prosperous societies by strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice systems, norms and standards, while combating the threats that undermine them, in particular transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking and corruption.” Recalling that the General Assembly held in February 2015 a high-level thematic debate on integrating crime prevention and criminal justice in the post-2015 development agenda, the PGA underlined that in order to deliver on sustainable development, Member States must ensure that societies are secure and peaceful, including through the promotion of the rule of law and strengthening of the criminal justice systems that uphold the fundamental principles of justice, fairness and equality.
