From: The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
Peter Gastrow
The world is changing and so is transnational organized crime. Yet the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) remains stuck in its original mould, struggling to be relevant. Why did the well-intentioned convention that was adopted in 2000 never really get off the ground or make a significant impact on transnational organized crime?
Delegations from more than 120 states spent many months in Vienna negotiating the convention. As the Rapporteur of these negotiations, I could see that they were hoping to agree on an instrument that would ‘promote cooperation to prevent and combat transnational organized crime more effectively’ – to use the words of Article 1. There may now be greater levels of international cooperation on matters relating to mutual legal assistance and extradition, but there is little evidence that the convention has achieved its objective. Transnational organized crime continues to outpace the law-enforcement authorities, governments and organizations that are trying to stem it.
