Chairperson, will you kindly allow me to say to the hon Selfe that I thought he made an excellent speech which showed that he did a lot of research. I want to thank him for that.
The theme of today's debate is indeed of crucial international importance. Most countries in the world suffer from the atrocities of murder, rape, robbery, drugs, human trafficking and others.
South Africa, in particular - and very sadly - ranks somewhere at the top of the list of countries affected by these evils. There can be no doubt that all countries in the world must unite in the war against this international cancer.
I have been fortunate to attend practically all IPU meetings for the past 15 years. I can assure you that all countries in the world are as concerned about organised crime as we are. Some of these issues have been debated at length on several occasions where I was present, in countries such as China, Cuba, Chile, Indonesia, the Philippines and elsewhere.
Organised crime was not only openly debated, but was also discussed specifically amongst members sitting in committees in restaurants and privately. The message is clear: The whole world is concerned about organised crime and something constructive should be done to win that war in the shortest possible time.
The international crime cancer will, however, not be healed unless there is concrete co-operation and shared responsibility by all countries in the world in the global fight against organised crime. That does not mean a country can escape its own duties.
What is to be done is for the IPU, firstly, to formally resolve that co- operation and shared responsibility in the global fight against organised crime is an urgent and international priority.
Secondly, the IPU must, in co-operation with all its member states - and there are almost 150 of them - urgently devise specific strategies on how to deal with this international war against organised crime.
Once these IPU strategies are on the table, all countries in the world could join to execute them in order to win the international war against this cancer of organised crime. Thank you.