Director General/Executive Director
New York, 20 April 2016
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for joining us here today .
Member States have recognized alternative development, alongside law enforcement and eradication, as a fundamental pillar of a comprehensive drug crop control strategy, and as an important element of a development-oriented drug control approach grounded in the three international drug control conventions.
Alternative development is closely linked to Sustainable Development Goal two, on ending hunger, goal eight on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, goal 16 on peace and justice, and goal 17 on global partnerships.
At last month's session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, UNODC and Germany presented a paper on alternative development, based on the findings and recommendations of a series of jointly organized expert group meetings and international conferences.
One of five roundtables at this UN General Assembly special session is devoted to the key topic of alternative development.
Furthermore, the outcome document adopted at UNGASS recognizes the need for intensifying joint efforts in accordance with the principle of common and shared responsibility, and strengthening subregional, regional and international cooperation to support comprehensive and sustainable alternative development programmes.
It also highlights the importance of developing and sharing best practices towards implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Alternative Development, taking into account all the lessons learned and good practices, in particular by countries with extensive expertise in alternative development.
This side event seeks to further deepen and expand the discussion on alternative development, and how it can reduce illicit crops in a sustainable manner and improve the socio-economic situation and opportunities of communities, while ensuring their empowerment, ownership and responsibility.
UNODC is currently designing a new Global Partnership that seeks to assist Member States in improving their capacity to design and implement evidence-based alternative development programmes, in support of development-oriented drug-control strategies.
This important discussion can help to inform these efforts.
We are honoured to have our long-standing partners Germany, Colombia and Thailand with us today.
Our distinguished speakers include:
I very much welcome this opportunity for States to address the challenges and benefits of alternative development, and I wish you a fruitful discussion.
Thank you.