Director General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for joining us here today.
Alternative development is an essential element of a balanced approach to addressing the world drug problem.
Member States have clearly voiced their conviction that alternative development is an important issue for discussion and this side event comes at a very important time in the lead up to UNGASS 2016.
We are honoured to have Ambassador Srisamoot of Thailand, who is also chairing this 58th session of the CND, with us today.
Thailand represents a remarkable success story, in their work with hill tribe communities and now in taking the lead to share best practices.
This includes promoting high quality alternative development products in boutiques and coffee shops, about which Mr. M.L. Dispanadda Diskul, Vice-Chief Executive Officer of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation, will speak today.
We are also honoured to have Mme. Marlene Mortler, Germany's Federal Drug Commissioner. Germany has been a very important supporter and donor to alternative development programmes and UNODC works closely with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the German Society for International Cooperation on these initiatives.
I would also like to welcome Mr. Miguel Samper Strouss, Colombia's Vice-Minister of Justice.
Colombia is a global leader in alternative development, demonstrating how national commitment in terms of resources and policy can improve the lives of small farmers involved in illicit crop cultivation.
I commend the cross-regional alliance between Germany, Thailand and Colombia, in partnership with UNODC, which is helping to share experiences and show the way forward on alternative development, including through expert group meetings.
Today's event will also seek to shed light on how market access can be improved for alternative development products.
Mr. Zotter of the Austrian fairtrade chocolate manufacturer, Zotter Schokoladen, is present to discuss the requirements that alternative development programmes must meet to satisfy the private sector and build important market links.
UNODC will also devote a thematic chapter to alternative development in the forthcoming 2015 World Drug Report to further explore what has worked, and what has not, in implementing alternative livelihood programmes.
Advancing alternative development so that farmers reliant on the cultivation and production of illicit drugs can join the licit economy remains a multifaceted challenge that goes hand in hand with achieving progress in broader development initiatives and governance, and with improvements in the agriculture sector.
Alternative development is essential to achieving sustainable reductions in illicit drug crop cultivation, and we need to look at how we can improve implementation, monitoring and financing for such initiatives.
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.