| Overview : The Regional Programme on Drug Control, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform in the Arab States
(2011‐2015) (Regional Programme) is a joint endeavour between 18 Arab States1, the League of Arab States
and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with the overall objective of responding to
evolving threats by strengthening the rule of law.
It was developed in 2009 by the UNODC Regional Office in Cairo (ROMENA) in cooperation with the countries
of the region represented through the League of Arab States as well as the Integrated Programming Unit at
UNODC HQ. The development of the Regional Programme emanated from a new strategic and programmatic
approach (“regional programme approach”) by UNODC HQ following the adoption of the Mid‐Term Strategy
for 2008‐2011 and is evidenced by ECOSOC Resolution “Support to the development and implementation of
regional programmes of UNODC” (E/CN.7/2009/L.23) as well as by ECOSOC Resolution generated at the 2010
Commission of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) Session “Support for the development and
implementation of an integrated approach to programme development at UNODC” (E/CN.15/2010/L.14).
The Regional Programme was elaborated through extensive consultations with national counterparts from
the Ministries of Interior, Justice and Health, and is based on long‐standing UNODC experience in the region.
Its main purpose is to address a number of challenges posed by illicit trafficking, organized crime, terrorism,
corruption, drug use and HIV/AIDS by working with national governments to strengthen drug control, crime
prevention and criminal justice systems. |
