The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) has called for a new global strategy against organized crime, in its statement to the 10^th Conference of Parties (CoP) to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), taking place at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna.

In his opening statement to the CoP, GI-TOC Director Mark Shaw highlighted the murderous toll of organized crime, as documented by the GI-TOC #AssassinationWitness campaign.  And he reminded delegates of the political will and determination that had created the UNTOC 20 years ago, called on the international community to keep up with the innovations that organized crime has undertaken since then, and adopt a more holistic and joined-up response across the UN.

Mr Shaw said:

“There is no single vision or strategy that matches the advances that organized crime has made.  It is time for all of us, not only to drive forward implementation of the Convention, but to see the Convention as a central core of a new global strategy against organized crime and corruption.”

The CoP takes place on the 20^th anniversary of the Convention’s adoption in 2000, and to mark this occasion the GI-TOC is publishing a flagship report analysing the political history of the Convention.  The report will be launched at a virtual side event chaired by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, on Monday 12^th October.

The report details the circumstances that made the Convention a reality and suggests ways in which the work of the CoP and the wider UN could be updated to lead the way to a more strategic response by the international community. Throughout the CoP, the GI-TOC will also launch a new guide for civil society for engagement in the UNTOC’s Implementation Review Mechanism, present research on and responses to organized crime in the Western Balkans, and analysis on human trafficking across Africa.