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DE RUEHC #9393 2960439
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O 221924Z OCT 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 8290-8291

UNCLAS STATE 109393 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D   C O P Y (SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AF AORC PREL SNAR UNCRIME UNGA
SUBJECT: UNGA: GUIDANCE FOR RESOLUTION ON UN AFRICAN 
INSTITUTE FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF 
OFFENDERS (UNAFRI) FOR 64TH UNGA 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request, see paragraph 3. 
 
¶2. (U) SUMMARY: The UN General Assembly will consider its 
annual resolution on the United Nations African Institute for 
the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders 
(UNAFRI) the week of October 26 in New York.  The UNAFRI 
resolution is expected to be adopted by consensus. 
 
3.(SBU) ACTION REQUEST: USUN is authorized to join consensus 
on the adoption of the UNGA resolution, entitled "United 
Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the 
Treatment of Offenders."  The full text of the resolution is 
included in paragraph 4 below. 
 
¶4. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION: 
 
United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime 
and the Treatment of Offenders 
 
The General Assembly, 
 
Recalling its resolution 63/196 of 18 December 2008 and all 
other relevant resolutions, 
 
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General,* On 
behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are 
members of the African Group. 
 A/64/121 
 
Bearing in mind that weaknesses in crime prevention lead to 
subsequent difficulties at the level of crime control 
mechanisms, and also bearing in mind the urgent need to 
establish effective crime prevention strategies for Africa, 
as well as the importance of law enforcement agencies and the 
judiciary at the regional and subregional levels, 
 
Aware of the devastating impact of new and more dynamic crime 
trends on the national economies of African States and of the 
fact that crime is a major obstacle to harmonious and 
sustainable development in Africa, 
 
Noting with concern that the existing criminal justice system 
in most African countries does not have sufficiently skilled 
personnel and infrastructure and is therefore ill equipped to 
manage the emergence of new crime trends, and acknowledging 
that weak laws and existing justice systems undermine efforts 
to facilitate the prosecution of these new crime trends, 
 
Bearing in mind the Revised African Union Plan of Action, 
2007-2012, aimed at encouraging Member States to participate 
in and own the regional initiatives for effective crime 
prevention and good governance and strengthened justice 
administration, 
 
Emphasizing the need to create necessary coalitions with all 
partners in the process of achieving effective crime 
prevention policies, 
 
Recognizing that the United Nations African Institute for the 
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders is a focal 
point for all professional efforts aiming at promoting the 
active cooperation and collaboration of Governments, 
academics, institutions and scientific and professional 
organizations and experts in crime prevention and criminal 
justice, 
 
Noting that the financial situation of the United Nations 
African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the 
Treatment of Offenders has greatly affected its capacity to 
deliver its services to African Member States in an effective 
and comprehensive manner, 
 
¶1. Commends the United Nations African Institute for the 
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders for its 
efforts to promote and coordinate regional technical 
cooperation activities related to crime prevention and 
criminal justice systems in Africa; 
 
¶2. Also commends the initiative of the United Nations Office 
on Drugs and Crime in strengthening its working relationship 
with the Institute by supporting and involving the Institute 
in the implementation of a number of activities, including 
those contained in the Revised African Union Plan of Action, 
2007-2012, on strengthening the rule of law and criminal 
justice systems in Africa; 
 
¶3. Reiterates the need to strengthen further the capacity of 
the Institute to support national mechanisms for crime 
prevention and criminal justice in African countries; 
 
¶4. Notes the efforts of the Institute to establish contacts 
with organizations in those countries which are promoting 
crime prevention programmes and its maintenance of close 
links with regional and subregional political entities, such 
as the African Union Commission, the East African Community, 
the Commission of the Economic Community of West African 
States, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and 
the Southern African Development Community; 
 
¶5. Urges the States members of the Institute to continue to 
make every possible effort to meet their obligations to the 
Institute; 
 
¶6. Welcomes the decision of the Governing Board of the 
Institute, at its fourth extraordinary session, held in 
Nairobi on 2 March 2009, to convene a conference of African 
ministers in November 2009 to discuss measures for improving 
the flow of resources to the Institute; 
 
¶7. Also welcomes the introduction of a cost-sharing 
initiative by the Institute in its execution of various 
programmes with Member States, partners and United Nations 
entities; 
 
¶8. Urges all Member States and non-governmental organizations 
and the international community to continue adopting concrete 
practical measures to support the Institute in the 
development of the requisite capacity and to implement its 
programmes and activities aimed at strengthening crime 
prevention and criminal justice systems in Africa; 
 
¶9. Urges all States that have not already done so to consider 
ratifying or acceding to the United Nations Convention 
against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols 
thereto,2 as well as the United Nations Convention against 
Corruption;3 
 
¶10. Requests the Secretary-General to intensify efforts to 
mobilize all relevant entities of the United Nations system 
to provide the necessary financial and technical support to 
the Institute to enable it to fulfill its mandate; 
 
¶11. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue his 
efforts to mobilize the financial resources necessary to 
maintain the Institute with the core professional staff 
required to enable it to function effectively in the 
fulfillment of its mandated obligations; 
 
¶12. Encourages the Institute to consider focusing on specific 
and general vulnerabilities of each programme country and to 
maximize the use of available initiatives to address crime 
problems with existing funds, as well as available capacity, 
by creating useful coalitions with regional and local 
institutions; 
 
¶13. Calls upon the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 
to continue to work closely with the Institute; 
 
¶14. Requests the Secretary-General to enhance the promotion 
of regional cooperation, coordination and collaboration in 
the fight against crime, especially in its transnational 
dimension, which cannot be dealt with adequately by national 
action alone; 
 
¶15. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue making 
concrete proposals, including for the provision of additional 
core professional staff, to strengthen the programmes and 
activities of the Institute and to report to the General 
Assembly at its sixty-fifth session on the implementation of 
the present resolution. 
 
2 United Nations, Treaty Series, vols. 2225, 2237, 2241 and 
2326, No. 39574. 
3 Ibid., vol. 2349, No. 42146. 
 END TEXT 
CLINTON