Objectives of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the world drug problem

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Ten years have passed since the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, and the General Assembly has convoked a Special Session, to be held in June 8 to 10, 1998, in New York. This event will focus on the fight against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities.

The meeting will provide a unique opportunity for the international community to assess the existing situation and to focus on a forward-looking strategy for the 21st century, centred around the basic principle of a balanced approach between demand and supply reduction. It is hoped that the international community will strengthen cooperation to confront the drug problem.

The Special Session will substantially contribute to enhance measures taken by the United Nations and its Member States to fight against this global threat.

The Special Session will focus on the following issues:

• Control of precursors, in order to prevent the detouring of chemicals used in the production of illicit drugs, as well as to tighten control over the production and trade of chemicals.
• Amphetamine-type stimulants, in order to adopt an "Action Plan against Manufacture, Trafficking and Abuse of Amphetamine-type stimulants and their precursors".
• Judicial cooperation: the strengthening of the legal framework contributing to the application of the law, favouring the success of the anti-drugs fight.
• Money laundering: Member states will reaffirm their commitment to the 1988 Convention provisions on proceeds of crime and set out principles upon which further anti-money laundering measures should be based.
• Drug demand reduction: The international community is currently working to produce the very first international agreement to examine the problem of drug abuse individually and collectively. A Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction will be adopted.
• Elimination of illicit crops and alternative development: A Global Action Plan aiming to eliminate illicit cultivations worldwide in the coming ten years has been proposed by UNDCP and will be presented to the Special Session. The plan provides an overarching framework to address the problem in a comprehensive manner, innovative approaches to alternative development to be complemented by strict application of efficient law enforcement measures.

The Special Session will be an occasion to assess the implementation and review the 1990 Global Programme of Action, as well as to promote adherence to and full implementation by all states of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 (and its 1972 Protocol), the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, and the United Nations Convention against Traffic on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.

As we informed earlier, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs is acting as the preparatory body for the Special Session since March 1997, and has organised several preparatory open-ended intersessional meetings, with the participation of Member States and observers, following established procedures. Most of the preparations should be finalised at the last session of the preparatory body from 16 to 20 March 1998.

In this occasion participants will review the international drug control regime and consider (1) reports of the three intersessional meetings; (2) elements for possible inclusion in the Political Declaration to be adopted at the Special Session, that will include strengthening of international cooperation for drug control in the context of shared responsibility and support to the United Nations and particularly the UNDCP, as a catalyst in the global fight against drugs; and (3) draft provisional agenda of the Special Session.

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