Highlights:  The Security Council’s concern for drug trafficking and organized crime is growing, because these are becoming major threats to regional peace and stability, especially in West Africa. Italy is strongly committed in the international cooperation against transnational organized crime and drug trafficking, and has provided concrete help to the UN system to promote and implement programs and initiatives. Italy salutes the adoption of the G8 Political Declaration, and is ready to contribute to the implementation of the Action Plan adopted last May in Paris.

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Mr. President,
I commend you on convening this meeting. Your initiative confirms the Security Council’s attention to the growing threat of drug trafficking and organized crime to regional peace and stability. And this is what makes it so appropriate to hold this open and inclusive debate according to the Arria formula. The membership as a whole can thus benefit from the invaluable insight of our illustrious panelists, who deserve our thanks.
Italy’s 2009 G8 Presidency attributed special significance to destabilizing factors and transnational threats. We commend the initiative of the French G8 Presidency to convene a ministerial meeting on transatlantic cocaine trafficking and fully support the Political Declaration and the Action Plan adopted on May 10th in Paris.

Mr. President,
Drug-trafficking and organized crime save their most harmful effects for vulnerable regions, where they destabilize States from within and can create asymmetrical shocks at the international level. While stopping drug-traffickers is a decisive element, it should not be the driver of our policies. Development is a crucial step toward achieving security. Economic performance, security and political stability are closely interlinked.
In this regard, West Africa is a test-case for the International Community. The West African States’ ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goals depends, to a large extent, on strategic and effective coordination between international cooperation and regional and national policies.
The appointment of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Ambassador Said Djinnit, was a first step in the right direction. The Security Council’s 2010 decision to extend and streamline the mandate of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) will further promote synergy at the regional and sub-regional levels to counter emerging threats to regional peace and stability.
Italy also salutes the Secretary-General’s recent establishment of a United Nations System Task Force on Transnational Organized Crime and drug trafficking, co-chaired by DPA and UNODC, aimed at fostering more meaningful and effective coordination within the UN. Italy believes that the Task Force should focus its efforts on mobilizing the entire UN system to promote and implement concrete programs.

Mr. President,
Some years ago UNODC gave us an early warning about the risk of West Africa becoming a platform for drug trafficking and organized crime. Today, UNODC is encouraging international cooperation through ECOWAS and the West Africa Coast Initiative, uniting DPA, DPKO and Interpol. Italy has provided 1.3 million Euros in funding for these initiatives as well as a coastguard unit and an aircraft for the border controls in Senegal in the framework of the E.U. Frontex Program. Since January 2010, two teams of Guardia di Finanza economic and financial experts have participated in a UNODC project to build the capacity of law enforcement agencies of Guinea Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Senegal to fight drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. The Italian specialized trainers developed and ran tailor-made training programs for each of those four countries. Italy welcomes the recent establishment of Transnational Organized Crime Units in Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau and, in the near future, Liberia.

Mr. President,
Italy salutes the adoption of the G8 Political Declaration and is ready to contribute to the implementation of the Action Plan adopted last May in Paris. Many elements of these documents are extremely important.
First. Criminal entrepreneurs are exploiting regional vulnerabilities because of their unique combination of risks and rewards. Our response must change that arithmetic. Enabling  information sharing and police and judicial cooperation would give added value to our operational capacities.
Second. The distinction between producer, transit and consumer countries is becoming blurred. Producer and transit countries are faced - also in West Africa - with consumption problems, while consumer countries are starting to produce and export drugs. Supply reduction measures must go hand in hand with efforts to reduce demand and promote rehabilitation and reintegration of drug users.
Third. Drug trafficking still represents the single most profitable criminal industry worldwide. It is transnational in nature. It spreads corruption to all levels of the affected States. The legal framework provided by the United Nations Conventions on drug control, on Transnational Organized Crime, and against corruption are our strongest weapons. The protection of the integrity of these instruments and the promotion of their full implementation are an important aspect of our common and shared responsibility.
Last but not least, transnational organized crime operates as a global business that seeks to reap big profits. Curbing its financial power would affect its raison d’être. Lack of international cooperation in attacking criminal assets would result in the criminal contamination of the more vulnerable economic systems. We can and must make the attack on the huge illegal assets accumulated by criminals around the world the cutting-edge of international security cooperation.

Thank you Mr. President.