Contribution of the Executive Director UN Office on Drugs and Crime 2016 UNGASS

This paper seeks to contribute to the discussion leading to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem by providing a reflection on key issues related to the drug domain. Recognizing that defining international drug policy remains well in the remit of Member States, this contribution is based on the profound and unique expertise of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and its multi-decade experience in supporting countries in establishing norms, producing research and delivering technical assistance programmes in addressing the drug problem. The first part analyses the drug problem in the context of other overarching issues such as development, crime, violence and terrorism. It describes the drug problem and its effective solutions as experienced by UNODC in the implementation of its programmes. The second part contains recommendations which aim at providing suggestions on how the international community can use the conventions to implement a more effective approach to the challenges of drugs in the context of overarching global processes such as the Sustainable Development Goals and in full compliance with human rights standards.