Round Tables Consider Innovative Solutions, Alternative Development Strategies as General Assembly Concludes Special Session on World Drug Problem
Innovative solutions would be required to confront a host of new and emerging threats associated with drug use, a range of participants emphasized today as the General Assembly concluded its special session on the world drug problem.
Experts, as well as representatives of Member States, international organizations and civil society, took part in two round-table discussions. The first was titled “cross-cutting issues: new challenges, threats and realities in preventing and addressing the world drug problem in compliance with relevant international law, including the three drug control conventions; strengthening the principle of common and shared responsibility and international cooperation”. It featured presentations by four panellists who shared their views on the particular challenges presented by the ever-evolving global drug problem.
Yesid Reyes Alvarado, Colombia’s Minister for Justice and Law noted that historically, countries had dedicated significant resources to combating so-called natural drugs. However, the greatest risks today were posed by a wide variety of synthetic drugs, many of which were difficult to detect because of alterations to their chemical composition.
Another panellist, Matej Kosir of Slovenia’s Institute for Research and Development, highlighted the need to improve strategies and policies on new psychoactive substances, noting that most States were struggling to deal with them and usually adopted complicated, long procedures in listing them as controlled drugs.
Chloe Dunnett, the United Kingdom’s National Drug Coordinator, said her country had recently passed legislation banning the production, supply, import and export of all new psychoactive substances. It had also worked to establish and support the International Action Group on New Psychoactive Substances, designed to promote the sharing of national best practices and inspire international action. “We should be proud of these achievements, but not complacent,” she warned.
Liu Yuejin, Deputy Commissioner of China’s National Narcotics Control Commission and Vice-Minister for Public Security, emphasized the need for a balanced approach, saying that drug-consuming countries were not justified in requiring only drug-producing counterparts to counter the manufacture of such substances. They must also address the consumption market, he stressed.
In the ensuing discussion, speakers noted with concern that new psychoactive substances had flooded more than 100 countries around the world. Their marketing to young people was especially troubling, many speakers said. Others highlighted new challenges presented by the anonymity, flexibility and transnational nature of the Internet, which was increasingly used to market drugs.
The second round-table discussion was titled “alternative development; regional, interregional and international cooperation on development-oriented balanced drug-control policy; addressing socioeconomic issues”. It featured five panellists who explored the need to balance strategies to reduce the cultivation of drugs and the unique needs of farming communities.
President Ollanta Humala Tasso of Peru opened the discussion by recalling that, in 2011, about 65,000 hectares of land in his country had been used for the cultivation of coca leaf. Thanks in part to alternative development initiatives, that acreage had been cut in half and Peru was now the world’s fifth-largest producer of coffee rather than cocaine. Peru had since been able to improve its infrastructure, health systems and information technologies, he said.
Marlene Mortler, Germany’s Federal Drugs Commissioner, said alternative development was not a short-term instrument for the eradication of illicit crops, but, rather, a supply-side intervention that could have long-term successes. To reduce the production of illicit drugs, such as cocaine and cannabis, leaders could not limit their efforts to national territories, but must extend a helping hand to affected communities in source countries, she said.
Disnadda Diskul, Secretary-General of Thailand’s Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage, emphasized the link between alternative development and sustainable development. Central to both was empowering each person to stand on his or her own feet in the long term, he said. “We must take a long-term view that is human-centred in measuring the success of alternative development programmes.”
Delivering a statement on behalf of civil society, and farming communities in particular, was Nang Pann Ei Kham of Myanmar’s Drug Policy Advocacy Group, who stressed that many farmers grew such crops as opium for their very survival. Doing so allowed them to meet their most basic needs, including food, shelter and their children’s education, she said, demanding: “Stop treating us as criminals.”
In the discussion that followed, speakers offered different perspectives, with Colombia’s representative saying that his country was among the world’s largest producers of coca and cocaine, the former of which covered more than 70,000 hectares, despite alternative and crop-substitution efforts. “We need to review our approach,” he said, citing the need to understand past failures. Coca did not offer opportunities for sustainable development, but was subordinate to the law of drug traffickers, and Colombia’s new strategy focused on actions to repress traffickers rather than growers, he said.
The representative of the Bahamas described his country as a major transit hub for illicit drugs, where resources used to intercept criminal enterprises would be better spent on providing basic infrastructure to meet education, health and transport needs, and on providing loans to help entrepreneurs purchase fishing boats.
Trinidad and Tobago’s representative of said she was not optimistic that crop substitution would succeed in her country, since its biggest challenges were drug use and microtrafficking.
Some speakers focused on root causes, with India’s representative calling for a firm commitment to address the drivers of illicit drug cultivation, while others focused on symptoms, with Sweden’s representative suggesting that the Security Council highlight the role of drugs in fuelling conflict around the world.
A civil society representative from Peru offered a view from the field, emphasizing the need to end forced eradication. “It has been a complete failure,” she said, noting that alternative development contravened human rights, caused environmental problems and destroyed livelihoods.
Jean-Francis Regis Zinsou (Benin) said in closing remarks that, over three days of discussions, Governments, the private sector, civil society, women and children, had delivered a clear message that they cared about people affected by drugs, that they were prepared to debate how best to address the world drug problem, and that they were willing to hear different experiences and points of view. However, as valuable as the discussions had been, more remained to be done, he emphasized. People who needed controlled substances for medical and other reasons deserved a more comprehensive and humane approach to the world drug problem, he said. They needed action on the health and well-being of humanity, as clearly outlined in the international conventions. They also needed proven interventions and honesty about the ones that had failed.
The General Assembly will reconvene at a date and time to be announced.
Round Table 4
Proceedings in the General Assembly today opened with a round table discussion on “cross-cutting issues: new challenges, threats and realities in preventing and addressing the world drug problem in compliance with relevant international law, including the three drug control conventions; strengthening the principle of common and shared responsibility and international cooperation”.
The discussion featured presentations by the following panellists: Yesid Reyes Alvarado, Minister for Justice and Law, Colombia; Chloe Dunnett, National Drug Coordinator, United Kingdom; Liu Yuejin, Deputy Commissioner of the National Narcotics Control Commission, and Vice-Minister for Public Security, China; and Matej Kosir, Institute for Research and Development, Slovenia. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), also made an intervention.
Mr. REYES said that, in many ways, the current war on drugs was not the same war as the one of 40 years ago. In the past, countries had devoted a great deal of energy to combating natural drugs, although the threat posed by synthetic drugs today was much greater. Synthetic drugs created new challenges, not only because of the variety available, but also due to the difficulty of detecting them owing to their altered chemical composition. Besides creating new, complex detection challenges, many synthetic drugs were sold under the apparent names of lawful drugs, he noted, expressing concern that health professionals did not really understand the risks associated with such drugs, and research was not keeping pace with their development.
It was clear that some of the newer drugs coming on the market, particularly those produced in laboratories, were more addictive than traditional ones, he continued, noting that 20 new drugs had been discovered recently in Colombia, including synthetic cannabis and altered forms of ecstasy. It was important to note, however, that those drugs had not originated in developing countries, but, instead, had historically been found in Europe and the United States. The replacement of natural drugs with synthetic ones demonstrated that the world of drugs was not static and that the same old policies would no longer be effective. Leaders must change drug policies to bring them into line with the new realities, he emphasized. Another new phenomenon that had emerged was the use of flexible, discrete social networks for the marketing of drugs, which presented another challenge.
Ms. DUNNETT said her country had worked to establish and support the International Action Group on New Psychoactive Substances, which was designed to promote the sharing of national best practices and inspire international action. Progress had been made, including through joint efforts to create a global early warning system through the UNODC. “We should be proud of these achievements, but not complacent,” she cautioned. The starting point for all new policies must be the collection and sharing of information, including through national early warning systems, which were essential to gaining a rich understanding of the threat, she said, adding that Member States and international organizations also had an important role to play.
She said the United Kingdom had recently passed legislation banning the production, supply, import and export of all new psychoactive substances, emphasizing, however, that there was no single legislative response for all countries. Each Member State must decide what worked best for its particular national circumstances, which was why the sharing of best practices was of such importance. The international scheduling system was an important tool that helped to restrict supplies of the most dangerous substances, although it was not necessarily appropriate for all new substances and should not be considered a substitute for national action. There was need for a balanced response, focused on prevention and treatment while building on existing systems, she said.
Mr. LIU said that the principle of common and shared responsibility required States to take a comprehensive, balanced approach in addressing supply and demand reduction. More than 170 countries were threatened by drug abuse, and with amphetamine stimulants and new psychoactive substances used mainly by young addicts, States should take a balanced global approach with unified goals, and share evidence-based experiences. Drug-consuming countries were not justified in requiring only drug-producing countries to counter the manufacture of drugs; they must also address the consumption market. Control measures applied exclusively in producing countries could not address problems of the market need for drugs, and the ongoing renewal of varieties, he said, calling upon consuming countries seeing serious abuse of new psychoactive substances to reduce need and intensify control, together with producer countries. He advised scheduling such substances under international conventions, while stressing the need to respect each country’s circumstances and judicial sovereignty, and to strengthen international cooperation under the principle of seeking common ground while reserving differences. As a producer and exporter of chemicals, China had tightened its control over precursors and was addressing non-controlled precursors, he said.
Mr. KOSIR noted that a majority of States were struggling to deal with new substances on the market, usually adopting complicated, long procedures to list them as controlled drugs. However, there were alternative solutions requiring minimal extra legislation and able to stop the open trade in new psychoactive substances, faster and with greater impact than national drug legislation, he said. Some countries had designed “catch all” control systems or faster systems for classifying substances as drugs, while others enforced consumer safety or medicine legislation to stop the open sale of those products. In the latter case, the supply of potentially harmful substances was controlled automatically under the “precautionary principles” accepted around the world for consumer safety, he said. Such controls prevented unregulated products from going on sale for long periods, and controlled the market without penalizing possession for consumption, as seen in the laws of Ireland, Poland and the United Kingdom. Another challenge was to improve the quality of demand reduction interventions, he said, citing a strong consensus in civil society that minimum-quality standards should be obligatory for all such services receiving public funding.
The special session then heard a statement by the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Mr. FEDOTOV said many dangerous substances remained outside international control and their rapid proliferation had led to increased abuse and hospital admissions, as well as fatalities in some cases. Criminal justice systems were struggling against use of the Internet, including the dark net, for the trafficking of drugs, and law enforcement lacked the proper equipment and specialized knowledge they needed. There must be improvements in monitoring and promoting evidence-based practices, he emphasized, noting that the UNODC supported the efforts of Member States through technical assistance and by developing guidelines and standards.
Concerning new psychoactive substances, he stressed the vital importance of expanding early warning and information-sharing systems, including the one managed by the UNODC, to facilitate preparedness and enhance capacities. The Office had published several regional and global reports, and remained committed to ensuring that the international community had up-to-date information, but it needed more funding. All parties should work to strengthen coordination and cooperation mechanisms, he said, underlining the need for a solid foundation built on an agreed framework, including the three international drug control conventions, to meet the challenges posed by drugs as they continued to emerge and evolve.
In the ensuing discussion, ministers and other senior officials said new psychoactive substances had flooded more than 100 countries and were marketed to young people with impunity since they were often not under international or domestic control. Additionally, the Internet had enabled the trade to take on a transnational dimension. Several speakers urged stepped-up cooperation, especially among States, the UNODC, World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Narcotics Control Board, and to that end, outlining national initiatives to foster collaboration.
The representative of India said that his country, alongside the UNODC, had hosted a “networking the networks” event in 2015 on countering illicit financial flows originating from organized crime. India and the UNODC were establishing a regional coordination centre that would allow South Asia to connect with other regional platforms in combating money-laundering.
The representative of Italy said counterfeit medicines had exposed a loophole in the international system, challenging law enforcement authorities. There was need to monitor changes in drug-trafficking routes, he added, noting that Italian research centres were ready to create synergies with the global scientific community to strengthen working methodologies. Italy had the technical and juridical know-how to tackle regulatory and legal obstacles, he said.
Several speakers raised concerns about the challenges ahead.
The representative of the World Health Organization said the biggest challenge was the lack of valid data for most new substances, especially on prevalence, use rate and implications for public health. New substances often entered and exited the market quickly, depending on user satisfaction. Their large number posed another challenge, as many had already disappeared, leaving little evidence to be gathered and making it difficult to determine their possible role in acute adverse events. It was critical to choose which substances to assess, and a more rapid system for analysing data and communicating the dangers of substances was needed.
The representative of Jamaica said her country was experiencing practical difficulties in pursuing the use of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes. Cannabis and cannabis resin were listed in Schedules I and IV of the Single Convention and were, therefore, regarded as liable to abuse, she pointed out, urging a review of the international drug control legal framework to ensure better responses to legal challenges.
The representative of Singapore noted that misuse of the Internet allowed new psychoactive substances to be transported via mail, as online black markets challenged law enforcement to track people leveraging the platform to buy or sell drugs.
The representative of El Salvador cited the Internet trade in new psychoactive substances as new challenges, saying that his country was working with others to combat groups involved in weapons trafficking and money-laundering.
Several speakers discussed future actions that would bring the most harmful substances under control.
The representative of the United States said that, with the hundreds of new substances identified, the hundreds more “lurking in the shadows”, and with a scheduling architecture that controlled less than 10 of those substances per year, “we need a swift and effective response”, flexible enough for authorities to consider approaches that best fit national needs.
The representative of Israel said her country had presented a bill that would allow new psychoactive substances to be criminalized before they were recognized as dangerous. That would allow the Government to deal with the minor chemical changes that were often a feature of such products, which, in turn, would help law enforcement authorities.
The representative of Kazakhstan, noting that social networks had allowed drugs to be bought and sold online, said new synthetic formulas did not allow law enforcement enough time to identify them, add them to the list of controlled substances and monitor them. He called for the creation of an early warning system to address that threat.
The representative of the International Narcotics Control Board said the classification of producer and consumer countries had never adequately reflected realities on the ground. States must acknowledge the resource disparities among them and commit to assisting each other through financial and material support, including technical assistance delivered through the United Nations. They must also commit to more fluid exchange of information on new trends, trafficking patterns and best practices, develop new tools, invest in research and make it available to others with limited resources.
The representative of Brazil emphasized the importance of laboratories in developing technical and forensic information used by law enforcement authorities, welcoming any effort to strengthen national capacities in that area. Voicing concern that international debates on new psychoactive substances had been characterized by the presence of law enforcement and regulatory agencies that worked from the perspective of supply reduction, she advocated a more integrated approach.
The representative of Afghanistan said his country had adopted an action plan to tackle the drug problem, which it had recently provided to its partners in Vienna and New York. Terrorism and extremist ideologies were behind the cultivation, manufacture, processing and trade of poppies, all of which occurred mainly in Taliban-controlled areas with weak infrastructure. That had allowed narcotics to become the main funding source for terrorism, he said, adding that his country continued to need international cooperation.
Also speaking were ministers and other senior officials representing Malaysia, Switzerland, Japan, Indonesia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Australia, Ecuador and Myanmar, as well as representatives of the European Union, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Rufaida Health Foundation, Intercambios Puerto Rico — Housing Works, StoptheDrugWar.org and the Psicólogo Clínico Institue de Médicina Intercultural Nierika of Mexico.
Round Table 5
Continuing its special session in the afternoon, the General Assembly held a round-table discussion on “alternative development; regional, interregional and international cooperation on development-oriented balanced drug-control policy; addressing socioeconomic issues”.
The discussion featured presentations by the following panellists: Miguel Ruiz-Cabañas Izquierdo, Vice-Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Human Rights, Mexico; Marlene Mortler, Federal Drugs Commissioner, Germany; Disnadda Diskul, Secretary-General, Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage, Thailand; Christian Leffler, Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Global Issues, European External Action Service; and Nang Pann Ei Kham, Drug Policy Advocacy Group, Myanmar, speaking on behalf of civil society. UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov made a separate statement.
OLLANTA HUMALA TASSO, President of Peru, opened the discussion in his capacity as Co-Chair, saying that many traditional crops produced in his country dated back to the time of the Incas, but now fell under the major categories of drug trafficking. That had led to illicit activities undertaken for the production of such drugs, which supplied the world drug market. In 2011, about 65,000 hectares in Peru had been dedicated to growing coca, a figure now reduced to less than half. Alternative development initiatives had helped in that regard, and Peru was now the world’s fifth-largest coffee producer, he said. That accomplishment had allowed the country to improve its infrastructure, health systems and information technologies. Through social policies, Peru would seek to continue reducing poverty, although there remained an urgent need to find solutions to the world drug problem, particularly on the demand side. Combating the problem would require a strategic alliance, but the agreements already in place would not necessarily lead to shared responsibility, he cautioned.
Mr. RUIZ-CABAÑAS welcomed the outcome document’s new structure and the fact that it was not confined to traditional analysis addressing supply and demand. It contained new language that opened the door for a general reconceptualization of the world drug problem. Among its recommendations that Mexico supported was a proposal to strengthen development in the context of drug policies and programmes, he said. Such language was important because international efforts to date had been limited to alternative development programmes, which had been somewhat effective, but had not taken a broad and comprehensive approach to development into account. Mexico proposed that the United Nations Secretary-General and various agencies compile information on how the Organization could help follow up on the results of special sessions and the commitments made to the international drug strategy. An international forum for dialogue on the topic should be convened, he said, calling for the completion of a study on specific measures that could help bridge gaps among nations with regard to access to medication and drugs derived from opium. It was a “paradox” that more than 80 per cent of the world’s population lacked access to opiate-derived drugs, he added.
Ms. MORTLER, noting that alternative development strategies represented a long-term component of Germany’s international drug policy, emphasized that leaders must be more aware of the special challenges faced by farming communities, including extreme poverty, violence, corruption and lack of access to markets, particularly in the case of women. In seeking to reduce the production of illicit drugs, such as cocaine and cannabis, thereby restricting their availability, policymakers could not limit their efforts to national territories, but must extend a hand to affected communities in source countries. She said she was pleased that some of the most crucial issues for farmers had been included in the outcome document adopted during the special session, including access to land, legal sales markets and the empowerment and ownership of farming communities.
However, alternative development still faced scepticism in terms of its value in reducing the illicit cultivation of drug crops, she noted. It sought to promote the development of affected communities and address the root causes of drug crop cultivation. It was not a short-term instrument to eradicate illicit crops, but rather a supply-side intervention that could have long-term successes, she said. However, funding for alternative development strategies had historically been modest at best, despite the fact that it must be placed in the broader context of development policies. Equality, food security, sustainable agriculture, as well as access to land and the promotion of peaceful societies were just some of the thematic areas of the Sustainable Development Goals that were closely aligned with alternative development, she said.
Mr. DISKUL, recalling that his country had been the world’s largest opium-growing country in the 1960s, it had been removed from the UNODC list of such States in 2003. On the basis of the lessons it had learned, Thailand had reached out to other countries in similar situations. Emphasizing the links between alternative development and sustainable development, he said that empowering each person to stand on his or her own feet in the long term was central to both. Also, sustainable development could not be attained without the rule of law, and only by embedding a culture of lawfulness into communities, alongside development efforts, would it endure. “We must take a long-term view that is human-centred in measuring the success of alternative development programmes,” he said.
He went on to state that alternative development, carried out properly, would help realize the Sustainable Development Goals. All stakeholders must be involved, including central Governments, local authorities and grass-roots communities, in order to foster a sense of ownership, so that local communities could take over projects in the long run. It was also important to consider alternative development in urban settings, through a people-centred approach to providing job opportunities. Thailand had created, alongside the Mae Fah Luang Foundation and Germany, a global partnership for drug policies and development to help countries implement alternative development programmes, he said, stressing that sharing experiences was crucial.
Mr. LEFFLER said that, drawing on Thailand’s experiences, the European Union had devised alternative development programmes since the 1990s, notably in Peru, Bolivia, Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. “It has been — and still is — a learning experience,” he said, noting that it could contribute to long-term change if carefully planned and monitored to prevent unintended side effects. Alternative development could improve access to legal markets, health care, infrastructure and education, and although such processes took time, they offered a way to keep the focus on the interests of farmers and their communities. Market access for alternative development products was an important dimension. Central authorities brought scale to local successes and were instrumental in preventing cultivation from moving from one region within a country to another. They ensured corruption-free practices and the rule of law, which was likely the reason why alternative development thrived where Governments were committed to peace, stability and inclusiveness, he said.
Ms. PANN EI KHAM delivered a statement on behalf of civil society, in which she conveyed the thoughts and concerns of farmers, many of whom said they grew opium to ensure their ability to meet their most basic needs, including food, shelter and education. Many such farmers lived in isolated and mountainous areas, in which it was difficult to grow alternative crops and access to markets was severely restricted. Most opium farmers were poor and cultivated the crop for their very survival, she said, noting that opium had traditional value for them as a medicine and in the treatment of sick animals, she said, adding that farmers also believed that opium products protected them from evil and brought good luck.
She went on to state that farmers demanded respect for their traditional rights to cultivate and use opium. Many of them already faced difficulties in taking care of their families, and once their crops were destroyed they had no income from which to live or feed and educate their children. Eradication of their crops had led to corruption and conflict. Rather than eradication, local authorities should provide basic services that were currently lacking, she said, noting that alternative development programmes were scarce and ineffective. “Stop treating us as criminals,” she said, pointing out that they needed greater involvement in policymaking on issues affecting their lives.
Mr. FEDOTOV said UNODC had been assisting Member States in the implementation of alternative development programmes for 40 years, including by helping them reduce the illicit production of coca, opium and cannabis, and by improving the conditions of farming communities. The guiding principles of such endeavours were rooted in the international drug control conventions and the recognition of the value of alternative development as a critical development-oriented approach. In terms of alternative development strategies, all stakeholders must be involved in creating new policies and natural resources must be used in a sustainable manner, he emphasized, recalling that UNODC-supported alternative development projects in Peru had resulted in the export of $180 million worth of products to external markets in 2014. In Colombia, alternative development projects were recognized as part of the national peace process, while other UNODC-supported programmes addressed food security and long-term agricultural stability issues in Asia. The UNODC worked closely with leaders in Afghanistan on agricultural programmes geared towards the empowerment of women, he said, adding that alternative development practices could succeed if they were properly designed to address the needs of communities and supported by the necessary funding.
In the ensuing discussion, ministers and senior officials underlined the need for alternative development in both rural and urban areas, with some noting that a “one-size-fits-all” approach to policy design would not succeed in varied country contexts. Programmes must be tailored to meet specific circumstances and feed a larger, multisectoral and integrated approach.
The representative of Ecuador raised the issue of preventive alternative development, which focused on living well by creating a preventive culture, and by which institutional processes and State policies were carried out through a balanced vision of shared responsibility and respect for both human rights and sociocultural diversity. Despite a strong commitment to reduce supply, “as long as there is demand for drugs, there will be someone able to meet this demand”, he noted. A single unified policy was not suitable for all countries, he emphasized.
The representative of Brazil said alternative development strategies should not be limited to the eradication of illicit crops. Rather, they should be extended to urban settings to address the causes and consequences of the world drug problem in the context of sustainable development.
Representatives of drug-producing, transit and consuming countries offered their perspectives.
The representative of Colombia said his country was the world’s largest producers of coca and cocaine, the former of which covered more than 70,000 hectares, despite alternative and crop-substitution efforts. “We need to review our approach,” he said, citing the need to understand past failures, explained in part by the vulnerability of areas in which illicit crops affected farming, and of indigenous and Afro-Caribbean communities. Coca did not offer opportunities for sustainable development, he emphasized. Rather, it was subordinated to the law of drug traffickers, and Colombia’s new strategy focused on actions to repress traffickers rather than growers.
The representative of Peru said alternative development in his country comprised productive assistance for coca growers. Programmes carried out in 2015 had involved more than 57,000 hectares, and roads had been constructed to help vulnerable communities connect production with international markets. It included legal aspects enabling growers to access credit and the State to monitor growing areas. Land titles had been granted as part of the model, and since chemicals used in coca production harmed the environment, environmental training had been another aspect of the programme. Those efforts had helped Peru to reduce the cultivation of illicit crops significantly, he said, adding that growers and consumers were not criminalized.
The representative of Burkina Faso said her country’s geography made it a transit and consumption hub for narcotic and psychotropic drugs. The Government had ratified most regional and international drug conventions, but its national programme to combat the illicit drug trade, terrorism and organized crime required financial resources. She urged technical and financial partners to help strengthen Burkina Faso’s national defence and security capacities, as well its judicial and health sectors.
The representative of the Bahamas said his country was a major transit hub for illicit drugs, yet it was challenged to provide basic infrastructure to meet education, health and transport needs. Resources used to intercept criminal enterprises would be better used in providing loans that would enable entrepreneurs to purchase fishing boats, he said, calling for the international drug conventions to adjust and review gaps in sustainable development policy.
The representative of Trinidad and Tobago said she was not optimistic that crop substitution would succeed in her country, since its biggest challenges were drug use and microtrafficking. She called for an end to the use of such derogatory terms as “drug mules”.
Some speakers focused on causes, with the representative of India calling for a firm commitment to address the drivers of illicit drug cultivation. When driven by commercial interest, it should be tackled through coordinated law enforcement action, but when driven by poverty, and the cultivators depended on the illicit crops for their survival, their cultivation must be tackled through a coordinated drug policy.
The representative of the European Union said his delegation promoted alternative development as a way to tackle root causes of illicit drug cultivation. Since 2009, insufficient funds had been allocated for alternative development, he said, welcoming calls for international financial institutions, United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to consider increasing support. Encouraging States to do the same, he said his delegation would also do so.
Other speakers focused on symptoms, with the representative of Sweden suggesting that the Security Council highlight the role of drugs in fuelling conflict around the world.
The representative of civil society from Peru, offering a view from the field, emphasized the need to end forced eradication. “It has been a complete failure,” she said, noting that alternative development were in contravention of human rights, caused environmental problems and destroyed livelihoods. The coca leaf was a part of the Andean culture, she stressed. Farmers were not victims, criminals or terrorists, but rather, people in charge of feeding the world, she said, adding that she was tired of policies that penalized the growers of illicit crops.
Also speaking were ministers and senior officials representing Argentina, China, United States, Costa Rica, Thailand, Japan, Mexico and Indonesia, as well as a representative of the International Narcotics Control Board.
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* The 2nd through 5th Meetings were not covered.