30th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice | Agenda Item 4: Strategic Management, Budgetary and Administrative Questions
As delivered by Counselor for UN Affairs Ethan Glick
The United States’ commitment to countering illicit drugs, crime, corruption, and terrorism is underlined by our continued support as one of the largest donors to UNODC. We view UNODC’s programming, technical assistance, research, policy, and normative work as indispensable to global efforts in engaging these threats.
It is essential that UNODC’s work prioritize, complement, and support the three UN drug conventions, the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). We recognize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its relevant targets may align with these agreements, but we stress it should not supersede them.
The United States commends UNODC on the progress made to date under very challenging circumstances to implement the UNODC Strategy for 2021-2025, including the February launch of the Strategic Vision for Africa 2030 and the consultative process underway to develop a strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean. We have been pleased to see many of the missions and civil society organizations that contributed to consultations for this strategy participating in the CCPCJ, especially in side-events, underlining their commitment to supporting UNODC’s work. The United States values the participation of civil society both for its unique expertise and for the ability of such organizations to help implement this strategy.
We encourage UNODC to continue to make use of innovative technologies and virtual modalities to facilitate increased participation whenever possible. This is especially important to ensure members without Vienna-based missions can engage fully in the vital work of the CCPCJ. We welcome in particular the increased access to the CCPCJ these new modalities have allowed for members, experts, civil society, and other interested parties, despite the global pandemic.
Uncertainty over the recovery from the COVID19 pandemic will require leaders to be innovative and make smart spending decisions to maintain high standards for program implementation and performance.
The United States believes FINGOV continues to demonstrate its relevance as a mechanism for focused discussions on budget and management issues. This helps ensure a common understanding between the Secretariat and Member States, as the Commissions continue to exercise their decision-making abilities.
In particular, as we have noted in past meetings our concerns regarding the allocation of Programme Support Cost funds, we welcome the review currently underway of the UNODC funding model, and we look forward to updates in the coming months.
Lastly, we note with appreciation the steps UNODC has taken to ensure balance in diversity, geographical representation, and gender parity. The UN Charter compels us to ensure the Secretariat selects its work force on the basis of merit and skill, as our work depends on attracting the very best.