European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Ms Ylva Johansson, spoke on behalf of the EU and its Member States, and highlighted the importance of the recently published EU Roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime and the establishment of the EU Drugs Agency in July 2024.

A number of speakers drew attention to the emergence of highly agile drug trafficking networks, a record-high supply of certain drugs, and the significant lack of harm reduction services. “Drug challenges are evolving swiftly, as synthetics change the market, trafficking networks evolve their business model, and illicit markets overlap with conflict and instability,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly. “The global response is at an important juncture, and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs must use this milestone session to unite around balanced responses that safeguard our communities, promote public health, and uphold human rights.”

The Chair of the CND, Ambassador Philbert Johnson of Ghana, launched a ‘Pledge4Action’ initiative and, for the first time, 57 Member States and the EU made pledges on the challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration, committing to turn their drug policies into action. Making the first pledge, European Commissioner Johansson pledged “for the European Union to increase its preparedness and capacity to react to future developments by empowering its European Union Drug Agency to carry out proactive threat assessments and to develop a rapid European drug alert system complementary to the already existing Early Warning System that will contribute to safeguarding public health and security.”

During the ceremonial opening, a High-Level Declaration on the Mid-Term Review of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration was adopted by consensus. EU Ambassador Carl Hallergård welcomed its adoption and “its emphasis on the need for new approaches to overcome persistent barriers in the next five years”.  He also highlighted that the EU stands ready to pursue and strengthen cooperation and exchange between all relevant stakeholders, including Member States, UN entities, the academic and scientific community, civil society and the private sector.

The EU representatives engaged actively in various round table discussions and other events. EU Ambassador Carl Hallergård spoke at the US side event opened by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The EU joined the US-led Global Coalition to address synthetic drug threats from the outset in 2023 and is a strong supporter. Furthermore, the EU Ambassador delivered closing remarks at a side event organised by the East & Southern Africa Commission on Drugs (ESACD).

On the margins of the High-Level Segment, European Commissioner Johansson met with UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia Luis Gilberto Murillo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador Ms Gabriela Sommerfeld, and US White House Director of National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Rahul Gupta and Assistant Secretary of State Todd Robinson. Furthermore, discussions were held on an envisaged UNODC project aimed at creating a regional partnership to tackle drug use disorders and related harms in South Eastern Europe through a health- and human-rights centred response.

During its regular session this week, the Commission will consider resolutions addressing rehabilitation and recovery management programmes; improving the access to and availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes; preventing and responding to drug overdoses; and alternative development.

The 67th regular session of the CND will end on 22 March 2024 in Vienna, Austria.