DOHA: Around 120 delegates from more than 40 countries assembled here yesterday to discuss preparations for the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, which Qatar will host from April 12 to 19, 2015.
The three-day meeting of government experts opened at Sharq Village and Spa under the chairmanship of the Legal Advisor at the Ministry of Interior and Chairman of the Organising Committee, Dr Abdullah Youssuf Al Maal, who welcomed the delegates and the ministry officials.
In his address to the gathering of experts, Dr Al Maal said, “The government of the State of Qatar is doing its best to efficiently organise 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 discussion for the draft Doha Declaration, to be issued at the 13th Congress to be held here in April 2015, he said, and wished the participants success.
Al Maal also chaired the first session discussing the draft declaration, in which delegates examined issues such as international cooperation, effective responses to emerging crimes, the challenges of promoting the rule of law to support sustainable development, and national approaches to public participation in strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice.
Al Maal said Qatar was pleased to host the Congress, which will coincide with Doha completing 60 years of contribution to the UN in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice.
Dimitri Vlassis, head of the Corruption and Economic Crime Branch at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said that the meeting was very important in preparations for the upcoming Congress. “The high attendance of so many delegates at this expert meeting reaffirms and testifies the importance of the 13th Congress,” he said.
A substantive agenda has been drawn up for the Congress and the meeting of experts was a good opportunity to shape the preparations, he said.
“At this expert meeting we want to listen to the view of delegates and understand what their priorities.”
Qatar’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to the United Nations and international organisations in Vienna, Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri, said, “Qatar reaffirms its partnership with UNODC and other groups to achieve the goals of the 13th Congress.”
He added that Qatar attached special importance to the post -2015 development plan, referring to the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s speech before the UN General Assembly on Wednesday when he reiterated that the post-2015 sustainable development goals constituted a common vision for future generations, and emphasised that 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 people of all countries and regional blocs.
THE PENINSULA
