PRESS RELEASE

 THIS MORNING OF THURSDAY, 14^TH DECEMBER 2000, THE LEADER OF LESOTHO’S DELEGATION TO THE HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL SIGNING CONFERENCE FOR THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME, HELD IN PALERMO, SICILY, ITALY, SIGNED THE CONVENTION AND THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROTOCOLS.

1)                 THE PROTOCOL TO PREVENT, SUPPRESS AND PUNISH TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AND

2)                 THE PROTOCOL AGAINST THE SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS BY LAND, SEA AND AIR, ON BEHALF OF LESOTHO. THE CONVENTION (AND PROTOCOLS THERETO) IS YET TO BE RATIFIED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF LESOTHO.

THE CONFERENCE IS ORGANIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ITALY AND THE REGIONAL AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS OF SICILY (THE HOME OF MAFIA) AND PALERMO, ITS CAPITAL.

THIS AFTERNOON, HONOURABLE MINISTER MR. THABANE ADDRESSED THE ASSEMBLY ATTENDED BY 180 MEMBER STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS, 14 OF WHICH ARE LED BY HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT.

IN HIS ADDRESS, HE STRESSES LESOTHO’S SUPPORT OF EFFECTS BY THE UNITED NATIONS, REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND IN OUR CASE SADC AND INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED TRANSNATIONAL CRIME. LESOTHO SENT A SPECIAL APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO HELP IT TO BUILD THE CAPACITY WITHIN ITS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE HIGH DEMANDS PLACED ON THESE AGENCIES. MR. THABANE SAID IT WAS NECESSARY TO ERADICATE IMPUNITY AND TO REINTRODUCE A CULTURE OF RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW.