A United Nations conference has unanimously adopted an Egyptian resolution to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property and strengthen international co-operation, Egypt’s Public Prosecution said on Friday.
The resolution was approved during the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, held in Vienna from October 19 to 23, the prosecution said in a statement.
Egypt’s delegation was headed by Prosecutor General Mohamed Shawky at the session where the resolution was adopted. The prosecution said the outcome followed co-ordinated efforts by the foreign and justice ministries and the public prosecution.
The resolution aims to strengthen the international criminal justice response to illicit trafficking in cultural property, which the prosecution said generates illegal proceeds for criminal groups and harms peoples’ cultural identity and historical memory.
It calls for stronger international judicial co-operation, the exchange of information and evidence, the tracing and confiscation of criminal proceeds, and measures to facilitate the return of smuggled cultural property. It also addresses the use of modern technology and virtual assets to commit such crimes and conceal their proceeds.
Counsellor Shawky praised the role of Egyptian diplomacy, including the Foreign Ministry and the country’s permanent mission to the United Nations and international organisations in Vienna, headed by Ambassador Mohamed Nasr. He said diplomatic consultations with participating delegations helped build consensus on the resolution.
Shawky said the adoption reflected co-ordination among Egyptian state institutions and the country’s ability to build international consensus and advance national priorities through multilateral work.
The public prosecution said it would continue co-ordinating with the Foreign Ministry and other national bodies, and working with international partners to implement the resolution’s measures on judicial co-operation, expertise-sharing and capacity-building.
