Director General/Executive Director
Your Royal Highness,
Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I welcome the initiative taken by Afghanistan, Colombia, Pakistan, Peru and Thailand to share best practices and lessons learned on Alternative Livelihoods.
My thanks also to the Royal Princess of Thailand, as well as the support of the United Kingdom for this event.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the 2009 Political Declaration and Action Plan on International Cooperation, Member States made it clear that alternative development is a fundamental component in international drug control.
Today, three years later, we are able to give a powerful impetus to our work in this area. Recent monitoring reports from the UN Illicit Crop Monitoring Program highlight a worrying trend.
Of the six principal producers of coca bush and opium poppy, four have shown an increase, one was stable and only one has decreased.
Increases in land under cultivation mean the increase of the amount of heroin and cocaine on the market.
Moreover, such increases could well have a devastating effect on national development and security, as well as good governance and the rule of law.
It is, therefore, clear that alternative livelihood programmes have not always been sufficient in rural areas where drug crops are the only viable source of income.
We need to address this issue by strengthening our support for alternative livelihood and development programmes, a s an effective strategy to reduce the supply of drugs.
Today, each of the five countries present will share their experiences based on many of the similar challenges.
I see their experience as invaluable. On the basis of today's work, future mistakes may be avoided, successes may be copied.
It is clear that, given cultural and political sensitivities, not all activities may be replicated.
However, by benefiting from best practices and by sharing lessons learned, we will have a better understanding of the major challenges of alternative livelihood strategies. We will also be able to implement them more effectively.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Alternative livelihoods is exactly what it means: a sustainable choice that enables individuals, families and communities to lead a different life. One that is far away from illicit drugs.
I am enormously pleased that UNODC provides technical assistance and helps to build capacities in the areas of alternative livelihoods.
With this in mind, let me convey to Member States the ongoing need for increased political and financial support for these programmes.
We need to acknowledge that, at present, only 18-25% of all farmers engaged in illicit drug cultivation have access to development assistance.
There is a pressing need to increase this figure over the next few years.
Finally, next Monday, I will sign with my dear colleague, the head of UNIDO, Kandeh Yumkella, an agreement leveraging the expertise of each agency to broaden alternative livelihood projects.
It is a recognition that the inter-agency approach can yield positive benefits for individuals on the ground.
Thank you.