UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The UN undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs on Thursday called for international cooperation in crime prevention and criminal justice for the sake of sustainable development.
In all countries, preventing crime and enabling universal access to criminal justice are one of the fundamental preconditions to realizing the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Liu Zhenmin told a high-level debate of the UN General Assembly on the role of regional organizations in strengthening and implementing crime prevention initiatives and criminal justice responses.
"It is widely recognized that sustainable development thrives when societies are peaceful and inclusive, with universal access to justice, effective and accountable institutions at all levels," Liu said.
He said regional and subregional organizations have vital contributions to make in implementing the 2030 Agenda. "They are our partners in advancing the 2030 Agenda in a variety of fields as the complexity of challenges facing us intensifies. So does the need for strengthened cooperation at all levels."
Criminal activity undermines sustainable development as crime distorts the development process and diverts resources away from productive users. It harms individuals and damages the vitality of communities, he said.
In too many places, ineffective institutions continue to hamper the delivery of public services and broader sustainable development, said Liu.
Advances in ending violence, increasing access to justice, and strengthening institutions have been uneven across regions and countries, he noted.
The need for effective cooperation is more urgent than ever, he said.
The UN official asked to step up education, training and assistance, especially for developing countries.
"New forms of data and advances in science and technology can help address many shortfalls. If we are to make good on a promise of 2030 Agenda, we need to pick up the pace of implementation," he said.
