The 21st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice opened Monday 23 April in Vienna with speakers acknowledging that transnational organized crime is one of the 21st century’s key challenges and a threat to sustainable development and the rule of law.

The commission is focusing on trends in world crime, how the international community is fighting the transnational organized crime threat; corruption - role of private sector - a new initiative being launched by UN Office on Drugs and Crime; violence against migrants; tourism and human trafficking, links between sustainable development and crime.

The President of the Economic and Social Council, Miloš Koterec, spoke at the opening session on preventing violence against migrants - the theme of a special debate at the Crime Commission.

Later, he explained to Anne Thomas of the UN Information centre in Vienna why the Crime Commission was an important part of the ECOSOC system.

Duration: 2'15'