Director-General/Executive Director
Moscow, 23 April 2015
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
My thanks to Director Ivanov of the Federal Drug Control Service for inviting me to this conference.
Allow me to begin by conveying the greetings of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As the Secretary-General noted, illicit drugs represent major challenges to peace, security and development.
UN General Assembly resolution 68/197, adopted last December, expresses grave concern that, "despite increased efforts…the world drug problem continues to constitute a serious threat to …the well-being of humanity…and to the national security and sovereignty of States, and that it undermines socioeconomic and political stability and sustainable development".
The focus of your timely meeting has clearly been recognized as an urgent priority by the international community.
Indeed, a number of ongoing debates being held at a high level are seeking to comprehensively address the global and interconnected challenges posed by illicit drugs.
Firstly, the General Assembly is holding a special session on the world drug problem in April 2016.
Secondly, the ongoing discussions on the post-2015 development agenda, to be adopted by the Global Summit in New York in September this year, have recognized the need to address illicit drugs and transnational organized crime.
The importance of promoting the rule of law as an outcome and enabler of development, as well as the role of development in reducing vulnerabilities to drugs and crime, have been widely acknowledged.
Thirdly, I would add that these discussions have been given an even greater urgency due to increasing concern over the intensified and ever more sophisticated nexus between global drug trafficking networks and violent extremist terrorism in many regions.
The growing concern about these developments is evidenced by recent UN Security Council resolutions, which call for redoubled efforts to prevent terrorists from benefiting from transnational organized crime.
Illicit drug trafficking appears to play a notable role in these alliances.
The Taliban in Afghanistan, terrorists in West Africa and the Sahel and the Middle East are profiting from the drug trade, either through direct involvement or, most often, by levying taxes on the criminal groups.
Boko Haram in Nigeria has been involved, directly or through levying taxes, in the illicit trafficking of drugs. ISIL/Da'esh and Al Nusra Front are also believed to facilitate the smuggling of chemical precursors for the production of captagon.
So, as you can see, there is widespread recognition that the harm caused by illicit drugs, as well as related challenges posed by organized crime, corruption and terrorism, have a significant impact on security and development.
In this respect, the 2016 UNGASS on the world drug problem comes at a highly opportune moment.
Preparations for the UNGASS have been underway now for some time, under the leadership of the Vienna-based Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which has been tasked with overseeing an inclusive preparatory process.
The most recent CND session in March devoted a special segment on preparations for the UNGASS and recommended for eventual adoption by the GA a resolution that defines the modalities for the UNGASS.
Discussions are ongoing and there remain diverse views and perspectives. I would nevertheless emphasize that the lead-up to the UNGASS has not only helped to focus international attention, but has helped to lay the foundations for more effective and affirmative action.
A consensus has emerged among Member States about the need for coordinated, balanced and comprehensive global action to address the cultivation, manufacture, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs, rooted in the international drug control conventions and in full compliance with human rights standards.
This, of course, includes robust action to confront the criminals behind illicit drug trafficking.
But it also includes measures to ensure access to controlled medications for medical purposes; promote evidence- and health-based approaches to preventing and treating drug use disorders as well as HIV; and provide alternative livelihoods to reduce the vulnerabilities of poor farmers to illicit drug cultivation.
The inclusive preparatory process has benefitted from the active engagement of Member States, including production, transit and destination countries.
There is clear recognition of the fact that the world drug problem is a common and shared responsibility.
The debate towards the 2016 UNGASS has also helped to bring a welcome focus on the human dimension and the need for evidence-based approaches.
It has strengthened the dialogue with the scientific community, and has helped to promote inter-agency cooperation and engagement with young people.
In all, the UNGASS and its preparatory process have provided a crucial opportunity to discuss and highlight concrete measures that can strengthen international cooperation and promote the effective implementation of the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on the world drug problem.
In this way, the UNGASS can serve as a milestone on the way to 2019, which has been set as the target date in the Political Declaration for the review of implementation.
It goes without saying that much work remains to be done.
But in view of developments, I very much hope that the 2016 UNGASS will achieve meaningful progress.
Meanwhile, UNODC remains committed to supporting Member States, including through our integrated, interlinked country and regional and global programmes, such as the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries, and the Container Control Programme, the Maritime Crime Programme, and many others.
The hard work of putting a comprehensive, vigorous and balanced approach to drug control into action on the ground continues, every day.
I welcome your views on how we can continue to enhance our effective responses, and look forward to our discussion. Thank you.