Background:
On the first day of the 1995 United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in Cairo, a press conference is given which outlines the congress’ objectives, key challenges in the fight against globalising organised crime and the conference’s preparation.
Side A:
The president gives a welcoming speech. Giorgio Giacomelli, Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, welcomes again to the first meeting during the congress. He highlights the signal which the president’s opening speech sent and identifies following as the congress’ main tasks: giving a follow-up to the decisions adopted at the ministerial meeting of Versailles and developed in Naples in 1994; balancing between a political / policy-oriented approach on the one hand and a practical / pragmatic approach on the other hand; and generating common effort to combat globalised crime in its trans- and multinational form. This requires a much more serious engagement in practical/technical activities such as training, exchange of information and establishment of practises in order to coordinate efforts.
Another major challenge is respecting national sovereignties and combatting globalised crime at the same time. After his speech, a question and answer session is launched. In it, Giacomelli clarifies that there has not been any rejection of resolutions, but rather delegations participating in the congress failed to submit their draft resolutions within the established regulations. This issue was examined in the pre-congress meeting the day before and it was agreed to merge draft resolutions with similar objectives. This resulted in 12 resolutions out of 17 originally.
Answering other questions, he states that one critical subject that will be tackled during the congress is criminality in big cities, highlighting the consequences of urbanisation.
He further points out that the United Nations and the International Court of Justice only have the latitude of manoeuvre, which the member states in their sovereignty decide to attribute to. He hopes the congress will be balanced and devote attention to all issues. For the first time, there are two general committees, one planning committee and a number of workshops.
Ḥassan al-ʾĀlfī, Egyptian Minister of Interior, lines out that the nature of the congress is scientific and intellectual regardless of any political conflicts. The congress will examine the basics that guarantee justice as well as conventions that deal with international cooperation in the field of extradition law.
Side B:
Furthermore, he hopes the congress will be balanced and will devote attention to all issues. For the first time, there are two general committees, one planning committee and a number of workshops.
