UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 56th SESSION
Third Committee
Item 110: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Statement by Mr David Stuart, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative
of Australia to the United Nations
16 October 2001
"The 2000 Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice, adopted by resolution in this committee last year, acknowledged the need for the international community to address the challenges posed by transnational organised crime in the twenty first century. The declaration recognised the necessity of cooperation among states in combating global criminal activity, especially people smuggling and people trafficking, and acknowledged that action against it is a common and shared responsibility.
People smuggling is an issue of particular concern to many countries, not just those that are destination countries such as Australia, but also source and transit countries that must deal with the problems created by smuggling networks.
People smuggling is a growing area of transnational criminal activity which seeks to profit from the misfortunes of the dispossessed. People smuggling and trafficking rivals narcotics in its profitability with proceeds estimated at some 10 billion dollars per annum. Evidence suggests that much of these activities are being orchestrated by criminal networks that are also involved in the trafficking of narcotics and other contraband. People smuggling is a lucrative activity involving little risk for the criminal, yet it imposes significant costs on governments and endangers the lives of those it pretends to assist.
Australia is strongly committed to doing everything possible to fight people smuggling. Our policies and laws seek to deter and disrupt the activities of these criminal networks. However, it is a problem that is beyond the ability of any country or organisation to solve unilaterally. It must be addressed in a coordinated manner through bilateral, regional and global measures.
Unless the international community acts decisively, the activities of people smuggling networks will continue to undermine the integrity of the international protection system. We should not allow the refugee protection system to be abused by people smugglers and those who seek out their services. There must be a determined international effort to develop a consistent and coherent approach to address this issue, including through implementing effective laws that punish people smugglers, strengthening border protection and enforcement, developing systems that ensure the prompt return and readmission of illegal migrants and enhancing cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
The United Nations has an important role to play in dealing with this increasingly organised trade in the hopes and fears of vulnerable people. In addition to national and regional efforts to address the issue of people smuggling, we strongly encourage a renewed international focus and a more coordinated response to the issue by the United Nations.
For our part, Australia will continue to work closely with our regional partners to examine ways to develop regional solutions. We will also seek multilateral solutions to people smuggling issues through the organs of the United Nations, focusing particularly on carrying forward the commitments outlined in the Vienna declaration on crime and justice, and the effective implementation of the existing programs of the commission on crime prevention and criminal justice. We have begun our internal processes for the ratification of the convention against transnational organised crime and signature of its protocols and will encourage other states in our region to do the same.
We urge member countries to treat this developing area of transnational organised crime with the urgency and importance it deserves and to increase their support for international efforts to combat people smuggling activities through close regional and international cooperation and coordination.