Brazil participates in the 64th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) that took place in Vienna
The 64th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) took place in Vienna, Austria, from April 12 to 16, 2021.
The CND meets annually and is the main drug policy-making body in the United Nations (UN) system, responsible for monitoring the world drug situation, developing evidence-based strategies for drug control, and recommending measures to address this global problem.
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) was established by Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolution 9 (I) in 1946, to assist ECOSOC in supervising the application of international drug control treaties. In 1991, the General Assembly (GA) extended the mandate of the CND to enable it to function as the governing body of UNODC. ECOSOC resolution 1999/30 asked the CND to structure its agenda with two distinct segments: a normative segment for the performance of treaty-based and normative-based functions; and an operational segment for the exercise of the function of UNODC governing body.
The CND meets annually when it considers and adopts a series of decisions and resolutions. Intersessional meetings of the CND are regularly convened to provide political guidance to UNODC. Near the end of each year, the CND meets in a reconvened session to consider budgetary and administrative matters as the governing body of the United Nations drug program.
The 64th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) began on 12 April with the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and a call by the Secretary-General for solidarity, shared responsibility and international cooperation to improve health coverage, protect societies and recover better from the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the opening of the General Debate, the Commission adopted by consensus a joint statement on the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the implementation of Member States' joint commitments to address and combat all aspects of the global drug problem.
The Chair of the 64th session, Ms. Dominika Krois, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Poland, presented the declaration on behalf of the Commission and led the negotiations. The joint statement expressed grave concern about the devastating impact of the pandemic around the world and outlined new challenges, good practices and actions to be taken to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement also highlighted new trends, challenges and obstacles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic; recognizing that due to the nature of the pandemic, traditional demand reduction infrastructure has faced increasing challenges in delivering drug-related services, potentially affecting drug treatment and health services; and noting that people with drug use disorders, including those incarcerated, may be at higher risk of more severe illness and mortality from COVID-19.
Through the statement, the Commission encouraged Member States to "strengthen bilateral, regional, and international cooperation to counter drug traffickers' exploitation of traditional and online trafficking methods and routes during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond" and prioritize improving access to treatment for drug use disorders.
Member States stressed that the principle of common and shared responsibility must remain at the heart of international cooperation to address and combat all aspects of the world drug problem.
In the statement, the Commission welcomed the efforts of Member States and urged them to ensure that no one affected by the global drug problem is left behind in the health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in efforts to mitigate the drug-related consequences of the pandemic. The importance of providing technical assistance and capacity building to address and combat the world drug problem; in particular, the Member States most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, was subsequently highlighted in the declaration.
Brazil's participation in the 64th Session of the CND
On April 13, the Ministry of Citizenship made a presentation at one of the side events of the 64th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and Drugs (CND) of the United Nations (UN). With the theme "Innovations in Drug Policies in Brazil", the debate began at 9:10 a.m. (Brasília time) and, over the course of 50 minutes, showed actors from the international scene what has been developed in the country's public policies on drugs.
The national secretary of Care and Prevention of Drugs (Senapred) of the Ministry of Citizenship, Dr. Quirino Cordeiro, gave the final lecture of the event. "This event is of great importance, since Brazil can present to the international community the innovations it has made in its public policy on drugs", explains Dr. Quirino Cordeiro. "In April 2019, the new National Policy on Drugs was published in the country, which, in the area of reducing the supply of drugs, brings tougher measures to confront drug trafficking and organized crime and, in the area of reducing drug demand, brings more effective actions for the prevention and recovery of people with chemical dependency in the country," highlights the secretary.
The debate also included the presentation of Federal Police Chief Elvis Secco, to deal with the decapitalization of criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking. The national secretary of Drug Policies of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (SENAD/MJSP), Luiz Roberto Beggiora, made a presentation on the management of drug trafficking assets and the financing of public policies to reduce supply.
Coordinator of the Center of Excellence for the Reduction of the Supply of Illicit Drugs (CdE), Gabriel Andreuccetti spoke about the partnership between SENAD, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the integration of data and strategies for the reduction of the supply of drugs in Brazil. The debate was moderated by the director of Public Policies and Institutional Articulation of SENAD/MJSP, Gustavo Camilo Baptista.
Promoted by the CdE, UNODC, UNDP, the Federal Police and the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Citizenship, and Justice and Public Security, the event was open to the public through the Zoom platform through the virtual room.
Watch Brazil's participation in full:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiFU88QeCIc
Other information and complete schedule of the 64th Session of the CND, you can find:
· 64th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
See some photos of the 64th Session of the CND:
