UNITED | E |
Economic and Social Council | |
Distr. E/RES/2001/18 | |
2001/18. | Implementation of the computer and telecommunication system for international and national drug control developed by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme |
The Economic and Social Council, Bearing in mind that, pursuant to the international drug control treaties, the States Parties thereto are obliged to share with other States, with the Secretary-General and with the International Narcotics Control Board, on a regular basis, large amounts of information and data on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals, Aware of the increased administrative procedures that national drug control administrations must fulfil in implementing the international drug control treaties, Bearing in mind the Political Declaration,67 the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction,68 and the measures to enhance international cooperation to counter the world drug problem,69 adopted by the General Assembly at its twentieth special session, devoted to countering the world drug problem together, whereby States were requested to use modern technology to improve procedures for, and the timeliness of, the collection and dissemination of information, in order to achieve the highest level of accuracy of the results obtained, Recalling Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 8 (XXXVII) of 20 April 1994,70 in which the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, in cooperation with the relevant bodies and authorities, was requested to establish standards to be used in the electronic transmission of data between the Programme and national authorities responsible for drug control, Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1994/3 of 20 July 1994 and Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 43/1,71 in which the United Nations International Drug Control Programme was requested to integrate all annual reports questionnaires, using modern communication and presentation techniques, Taking into account the report of the Secretary-General on the utilization of the development dividend72 and General Assembly resolution 53/220 of 7 April 1999, in which the Assembly approved the sum of 1.1 million United States dollars for the expansion of the computer and telecommunication system for international and national drug control (hereinafter referred to as the national database system) as an important development in building national capacities, in particular in developing countries, Cognizant of the findings of the in-depth evaluation of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme carried out by the Office of Internal Oversight Services,73 in which the Programme is requested to strengthen its capacity for gathering information from Governments by expanding the national database system to cover other data-collection activities of the Programme,74 Taking note of the progress made by the Programme through the amendment of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System of the Customs Cooperation Council, also known as the World Customs Organization, to establish a unique system for identifying narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals under international control, 1. Notes with satisfaction the report of the third meeting of the group of users of the national database system, held in Vienna from 1 to 3 November 2000, at which 25 Governments concluded unanimously that the national database system is a comprehensive and mature product that is highly user-friendly and ready for detailed testing and possible implementation in many countries; 2. Commends the United Nations International Drug Control Programme on its success to date in developing the national database system and on its responsiveness to the requirements of Member States in developing the system; 3. Notes with satisfaction that the national database system stresses ownership by the users of the system, and that it is being implemented with the emphasis on building capacity within, and promoting cooperation between, developing countries; 4. Recommends that States that have not already done so consider implementing the national database system in cooperation with the Programme and the current group of user States or establishing systems compatible with the national database system; 5. Urges States that wish to adopt the national database system to cooperate with the Programme in that endeavour by assessing the implications of implementation of the system by their national drug control authorities and by informing the Programme of their needs with regard to initial implementation and training as well as ongoing support; 6. Also urges Governments to consider making additional resources available to the Programme to enable it to strengthen its capacity to implement, maintain and further develop the national database system in Member States; 7. Requests the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to report to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its forty-fifth session on the national database system. 40th plenary meeting 67/ General Assembly resolution S-20/2, annex. 68/ General Assembly resolution S-20/3, annex. 69/ General Assembly resolutions S-20/4 A-E. 71/ Ibid., 2000, Supplement No. 8 (E/2000/28), chap. I, sect. C. |