Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (UN Information Service)
The Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice opened on Saturday with the adoption of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, a forward-looking global framework to strengthen international criminal justice cooperation against fast-evolving crime challenges and exploitation of digital technologies.
In the Declaration, adopted by acclamation, Member States highlight concerns about emerging trends in an increasingly complex criminal landscape, including crime as a service and violence as a service, and exploitation of cyberinfrastructure and cybertechnology.
They call for action against threats including cybercrime and fraud, and commit to digitalising justice systems and harnessing technologies, including artificial intelligence in criminal justice responses, while maintaining safeguards such as human oversight, transparency, due process and data protection.
The Congress represents the world’s largest gathering of policymakers, civil society, and other stakeholders in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.
In a video message to the Congress, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohamed, emphasised that the Crime Congress is taking place at a time of profound change.
“Justice cannot be a privilege. It must protect every person, uphold every person’s rights and leave no one behind,” said Ms. Mohamed.
“This Congress is an opportunity to renew our shared commitment to justice and the rule of law, and to translate that commitment into action.”
In her opening remarks, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Monica Juma, said, “Today, the world convenes in Abu Dhabi to reaffirm that the rule of law and criminal justice are essential to the safety and security of people and the planet.”
“At a time when confidence in multilateralism is faltering, let Abu Dhabi be a testament to international cooperation.”
UNODC serves as secretariat for the Crime Congress and will support the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Declaration.
The 15th Crime Congress is hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates.
Some119 countries are represented at the Congress, with more than 40 ministers of justice and other high-level officials and more than 5,100 participants from Member States, the private sector, civil society, and academia.
The Congress, under the theme ‘Protecting People and Planet in the Digital Age,’ will continue until October 1 with the plenary sessions, workshops, and an array of side events and exhibitions.
It is the most youth-inclusive Crime Congress in history, with young leaders of tomorrow delivering a statement during the opening session, participating as panellists in the workshops and helping to shape the follow-up to the Congress to advance crime prevention and criminal justice action in their countries.
The Youth Forum of the 15th UN Crime Congress was held on 24 and 25 September ahead of the Congress, and there is a Youth Lab featuring youth-led events and a Youth art exhibition.
Member States are also taking steps at the Congress to realise the commitments contained in the Declaration with the voluntary Pledge4Justice initiative.
Participating countries are announcing specific, concrete, and time-bound actions to advance crime prevention and criminal justice until 2031.
The pledges will be published on the UNODC website: unodc.org
The Abu Dhabi Declaration of the Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice: https://docs.un.org/A/CONF.241/L.1
