INCB Annual Report On 5 March 2013 the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) launched its Annual Report as well as a Report on Precursors chemicals used in the manufacture of drugs. The Global Report highlighted the danger of new psychoactive substance, 'legal highs', new versions of which, with small changes on a molecular level, are emerging nearly weekly in Europe. The Report further warns of the abuse of prescription drugs. For more information and the full report click here.

UNODC highlights the cost of corruption for global development on International Anti-Corruption Day

ACT against Corruption logo Pretoria - Together with the Public Service Commission (PSC) of South Africa and the University of South Africa (UNISA), UNODC Southern Africa hosted a high-level panel discussion on effective means to combat corruption in commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day 2012.

Over 120 invited guests from public sector, private sector, civil society, law-enforcement, diplomatic corps and media attended the event held at UNISA in Pretoria on 10 December. More

Tshwane Bus carries message of hope for victims of domestic violence

Sunnyside One-Stop Centre Bus Pretoria - A centre supported by UNODC to assist victims of domestic violence in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, has come up with an innovative idea to reach the community: by turning one of the regular municipal public buses into a colourful and bright mobile advertisement which urges victims of domestic violence to "Speak" and reach out to the centre for help. For the next eight months, passengers, pedestrians and drivers will be seeing this advertisement daily. More

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Read older stories from UNODC Southern Africa here.

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UNODC Southern Africa Mandate

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs, transnational organized crime, terrorism and corruption. In working on these issues, UNODC is the guardian of most of the related conventions, namely:

The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three protocols (against trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants and trafficking in firearms)
The United Nations Convention against Corruption
The international drug control conventions

UNODC was established in 1997 as a result of the merging of the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. It was established by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to enable the Organization to focus and enhance its capacity to address the interrelated issues of drug control, crime and international terrorism in all its forms.

In the same year, UNODC Southern Africa was formed and now covers 11 countries in the region, namely: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The funding of UNODC's programmes is fully dependent on the continued support of the donor community.