Increasingly, issues of crime, corruption, drugs and terrorism, are being recognized by the international community as major obstacles and threats to development, human security and good governance. These are inherently linked with the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) as was highlighted in the outcome of the High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (20-22 September, 2010, New York). The United Nations Millennium Declaration, furthermore, makes clear reference to areas that need to be strengthened which fall under the mandate of UNODC. The Declaration clearly stipulates the importance of peace, security and development highlighting the need to: strengthen respect for the rule of law; take concerted action against international terrorism; implement commitment to counter the world drug problem: intensify efforts to fight transnational crime in all its dimensions; and take concerted action to end illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons. All these issues have an important impact � albeit indirect � on achieving the MDG's and reducing poverty in the long term. UNODC has conducted various research studies and threat assessments looking at problems of drugs, crime and terrorism and how such affect security and development. It is due to this evidence�based research that the UN Policy Committee has decided to focus attention on this issue by requesting the elaboration of a draft policy paper on �Trans-national organized crime and drug trafficking as threat to security and stability.� The issues of crime and security have also reached high levels in various international forums. The Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Salvador, Brazil in April 2010 focused strongly on bringing forth the criminal justice system as a central pillar in the rule-of-law architecture and highlighting the pivotal role of criminal justice systems in development. The importance is therefore recognized of the threat to sustainable development posed by crime, corruption, drugs and terrorism, and the centrality of adequate systems of rule of law, justice and security in addressing these threats. To address these threats coalitions will be built of Government Agencies, Regional Organizations and Institutions, Academia and Civil Society Organizations, in order to deal with internationally recognized public concerns, i.e. global public goods (e.g. human rights, environment, gender equality) and global public threats (e.g. crime, drugs and terrorism). In this way, UNODC hopes to ensure a balanced and inclusive approach to respecting national priorities, and internationally agreed-development goals and treaty obligations, within a framework or rule of law, justice and security.