Director-General/Executive Director
Distinguished participants,
Welcome, and thank you for taking part in the extraordinary sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
To hear from practitioners and experts like you is of great value to the CND and to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
UNODC is pleased to support your discussions on current drug trafficking trends.
Our 2021 World Drug Report shows that drug markets quickly recovered from an initial slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Traffickers have adapted their routes and distribution methods. With drugs increasingly being sold online and via contactless delivery, access to drugs is easier than ever, and poses more of a challenge than ever.
These shifts have affected different regions in different ways.
Your exchanges today on the regional impacts of the pandemic will help the international community to better understand the new dynamics of illicit drug trafficking, to improve joint responses, and build resilience against future crises, in line with the statement adopted by the CND at its 64th session in April this year.
The sessions of the CND Subsidiary Bodies also provide a valuable platform for you to strengthen law enforcement cooperation and coordination, share good practices, and learn from each other.
While we had looked forward to meeting in person this year, I am glad that we could host these extraordinary sessions virtually, on a platform which allows you to follow all meetings across regions, and to network with your peers from around the world.
UNODC is proud to support you, and we value your contributions and commitment to addressing the world drug problem, and making our societies healthier, safer, and more secure.
I wish you fruitful discussions. Thank you.