Ambassador Khaddour: Syria is a party to most of the international instruments concerned with the prevention of organized crime

Vienna, (ST) – Ambassador Dr. Hassan Khaddour, the Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations office and other international organizations in Vienna stressed that Syria is a state party to most of the international instruments concerned with the prevention of organized crime. “It is keen to update and develop its national laws, in a manner that is commensurate with these international conventions and facilitates their implementation,” he added.

In a statement delivered yesterday on behalf of the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic before the Eleventh Conference of the States Parties to the “Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”, Ambassador Khaddour said.

“In this context, the Syrian government has issued during the past years a package of laws aimed at confronting transnational organized crime, the latest of which is Law No. 14 For the year 2021 to prevent people smuggling, a national committee was formed to follow up on the implementation of this law.”

Khaddour pointed out that the Syrian National Committee on Combating Trafficking in Persons has prepared a national plan covering the period 2020-2022, and aims to draw up a comprehensive policy to prevent trafficking in persons.

Khaddour added that the Syrian Arab Republic attaches great importance to close cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna, and appreciates the efforts it exerts in providing technical support to member states. “Therefore, Syria looks forward to this office becoming more involved in work and cooperation with it.

Khaddour said that the past years have witnessed a growing phenomenon of organized crime, especially those practiced by terrorist and criminal elements in Syria. “These barbaric terrorist groups have allowed themselves to practice all forms of organized crime, such as illegal drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings and human organs, sexual exploitation, and the destruction and looting of Syrian antiquities and heritage and religious monuments and smuggling it out of the country, and then offering it for sale through social”, he added.

Khaddour went on to say that the Syrian Arab Republic is making great efforts, within its available and limited capabilities to confront the disastrous repercussions of the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States of America and the European Union for manyyears on Syria and its people.

Ambassador Khaddour concluded his statement by saying that strengthening the effective role of the United Nations in confronting transnational organized crime of all kinds will not be achieved without assuming the collective responsibility of Member States and enhancing and keeping pace with international cooperation.

Raghda Sawas