UN and Organized Crime Podcast

In this episode Ian speaks to key figures from the Brazilian government and civil society to understand the impacts of environmental crimes on the Amazon, and why Brazil has been leading the charge for a new protocol to address these threats under the UNTOC. Speakers : Gustavo Carneiro , Deputy Coordinator for the fight against transnational crimes, Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Melina Rus...

This episode kicks off a mini-series looking at a new protocol to the UNTOC on environmental crimes, with a conversation with Simone Haysom, GI-TOC's Director of Environmental Crimes, to explore why a new protocol is needed and what impacts it could have. Presenter : Ian Tennant, Director of Multilateral Engagement, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Guest : Simone Haysom, Dir...

In this episode, Ian speaks to three civil society grantees of the Resilience Fund, who attended the most recent UN Crime Commission in May.  Anna Romandash, Noor Azizha and Lucie Andrea Gutiérrez speak about their experiences at the local level, and why the next Crime Congress should pay heed to their and others plight, in order to better build community resilience to organized crime Speaker...

Underworlds with Mark Shaw is returning for another season. Mark sits down with authors to discuss their investigations into the murky world of organized crime. In season two, we hear about a range of stories such as money laundering and cryptocurrency; the 'Ndrangheta's expansion from Calabria, Italy to other countries of Europe. Also the story of a leading South African police officer, who was t...

In this episode, Ian Tennant talks to Dr Matti Joutsen, author of a recently published history of the UN Crime Programme, to discuss the history of the UN Crime Congress, and the central role that civil society has played throughout its history.  The next Congress, takes place in Abu Dhabi, in April 2026.  Dr Joutsen explains how the Congress has evolved, and what diplomats should aim to...

Welcome to Underworlds with Mark Shaw. Organized Crime is everywhere, hidden in plain sight. The stories from this world have been mythologised by Hollywood. But the reality can be even stranger and more exciting than fiction. From the golden age of the American mafia (La Cosa Nostra), to the modern-day cocaine empires, and from the shadowy links between organized crime and terrorism, to the twili...

This episode explores the importance of gender equality and gender sensitive policies and programmes in national and international responses to organized crime, including how these issues are approached in multilateral negotiations. Ian Tennant speaks to Ambassador Corinne Kitsell, an experience British multilateral diplomat, who is currently the UK's Permanent Representative to several internatio...

On 29 July 2024, the reconvened session of the Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) to conclude negotiations on a new UN convention on cybercrime began. The AHC is mandated to submit a draft convention to the UN General Assembly by 9 August. Since the AHC began its negotiations in 2022, competing visions for this convention have not been reconciled. Some countries have pushed for a treaty with a narrow scope an...

This second podcast episode on cybercrime and critical technologies in South East Asia starts to explore what the possible regional and indeed global responses might be to tackling these entrenched and growing threats.  With the support of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our partner, Lydekker , the GI-TOC has been exploring the specific vulnerabilities and challenges...

This episode explores the challenges that cybercrime and the exploitation of critical technologies pose in Indonesia and the Philippines and the broader South East Asia region. With the support of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our partner, Lydekker, the GI-TOC has been engaging across the region to understand the specific vulnerabilities and challenges that these growing...

This episode reflects on what was supposed to be the concluding session of the UN’s ad Hoc committee that had been set up to negotiate a new convention on cybercrime. Following seven negotiating sessions over two years, each lasting two weeks and costing almost a million dollars each for the UN, member states have not come to agreement on what the convention should do, or even what it should be ca...

In this episode, Ian talks to William O'Neill, the UN's designated expert on the human rights situation in Haiti. In the context of the escalating and untrammelled gang violence in Haiti, and the unprecedented security and human rights crisis, O'Neill explains how the multilateral system is responding. How will the multinational police mission led by Kenya work? What are the hu...

This episode explores how 'ECOSOC consultative status' enables NGOs to engage on policy issues at the UN, and how GI-TOC finally gained its accreditation earlier this year. The episode also discusses the challenges NGOs face in gaining this status, and in more generally engaging in multilateral settings. Presenter(s): Ian Tennant , Head of Vienna Multilateral Representation & Resilience Fund,...

In this episode, Ian Tennant talks to Amy Brouillette of the International Press Institute to discuss the risks that the treaty negotiation poses to freedom of the media. This is one of many risks and challenges that remain to be resolved as delegates await a final draft treaty to discuss at the concluding session in early 2024. Presenter(s): Ian Tennant , Head of Vienna Multilateral Representatio...

This episode explores the latest developments in the process to negotiate a UN treaty on cyber crimes, including a look back at April's 5th Ad Hoc Committee meeting, the upcoming publication of a draft treaty, and the next meeting in August. GI-TOC's Ian Tennant discusses key issues such as how the treaty should enable capacity building for states whilst protecting rights, and ensuring the in...

In April 2023, the Ad Hoc Committee to elaborate a treaty on the misuse of ICTs for criminal purposes will meet to discuss a chapter on technical assistance, among other topics. As well on 6 March, technical assistance will be discussed during the intersessional with multi-stakeholders and governments.  In this podcast, Summer Walker speaks to Tomslin Samme-Nlar and Nate Allen, authors of rep...

In this episode, we look back at the recent CITES Conference of the Parties in Panamá, and explore how this multilateral process addresses environmental crimes. The GI-TOC was there and focussed on international cooperation and responses to the online illegal wildlife trade. But what was achieved at the Conference and what impact it could it have on the damaging criminal markets concerned. Present...

In this episode, Ian sits down with Dr Jarrett Blaustein, the author of a new book 'Unraveling the Crime-Development Nexus' . Together, Ian and Jarrett discuss the evolution and history of the UN's response to organized crime and its governance structures, in the context of the upcoming Conference of Parties to the UNTOC. They consider the link between crime and sustainable development, and w...

In this episode, we discuss the ongoing UN negotiations to create a global instrument to address cybercrime, or what it is called formally: countering the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for criminal purposes. In May and June the second meeting of the UN Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) took place in Vienna. It was the first meeting that dealt with the potential substance of a trea...

From 30 May to 10 June, the second cybercrime UN 'AHC' negotiation meeting took place in Vienna. As delegations started exploring the issues in more detail, governments differed widely on what crimes to cover under the convention and how to define them, but they were generally eager to include measures to address a wide array of crimes committed using computer systems under provisions coverin...

On 28 February, UN Member States began the official negotiation process of a new UN legal instrument on cybercrime. In this episode we delve into the substantive issues at play in the first negotiation session and in subsequent written submissions by UN Member States, ahead of the next session which starts on 30 May in Vienna. There are major gaps between different camps, and geopolitical pressure...

On 28 February, UN Member States began the official negotiation process of a new UN legal instrument on cybercrime.  In this episode we look back at the first negotiation session with a representative of the UK's delegation. We consider the major issues in the negotiations, how different positions are emerging on issues like defining cybercrimes, what activities should be criminalized, a...

In the final episode of the Road to Kyoto podcast series, Ian Tennant speaks to civil society participants at the 14th Crime Congress to reflect on what happened at the Congress, and what it means for the future of multistakeholder responses to transnational organized crime. Presenter : Ian Tennant , Fund Manager, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Guests : Siria Gastelum Feli...

We have arrived in Kyoto, at least virtually. In this episode of the Road to Kyoto podcast, Ian Tennant reflects on how the Congress has functioned so far, and what that means for civil society's ability to engage and influence this multi-stakeholder meeting. Information on GI-TOC's range of events at the Congress can be found here . Presenter : Ian Tennant , Fund Manager, Global Initiat...

In this episode Ian is joined by a selection of distinguished guests and members of the GI Network of experts. They will discuss the current global state of organized crime, in the context of the quinquennial Congress, and the more recent developments as a result of COVID-19.  The podcast will also analyse the current framework of international responses to issues of concern to the Experts, a...