CBN & UNODC hold Sub-Commission Session on Illicit Drug Traffic

CBN (Central Bureau of Narcotics) on behalf of Government of India hosted the 42nd Session of the Sub-Commission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East at Agra from 3rd to 7th December, 2007. The Central Bureau of Narcotics is the oldest specialized agency in the field of control over narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The Conference was organized jointly by the CBN and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Vienna, Austria. The objective of the Conference was to assess the drug scenario and to promote regional and sub-regional coordination against illicit drug traffic. The Sub-commission has 23 member countries besides observer countries from Europe, USA, Australia and relevant intergovernmental organizations like Interpol as well as United Nations bodies.

The 42nd Session of the Sub-commission was inaugurated by the Shri K. Mohandas, Additional Secretary (Revenue), Ministry of Finance New Delhi at Hotel Jay Pee Palace Agra, India.

In his inaugural address he welcomed the delegates from the various member and observer countries and spoke about different global challenges being faced by the countries as a result of the drug trafficking and growing drug abuse. He indicated that although there could be differences in the approaches to curb the drug trafficking and abuse but the there is universal consensus on the need to prevent the drug abuse and trafficking.

He also threw light on the global efforts to put in place some uniformity among the laws of different nations around the world in the form of the three International Conventions which provides member countries to establish a mechanism to regulate licit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and identified sensitive precursor chemicals, and institutionalized mechanisms for cooperation between nations. Among the mechanisms so established is the Commission on Narcotic Drugs- one of the functional bodies of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. As the subsidiary body of the CND, this sub-Commission shoulders the onerous responsibility of enhancing international cooperation in the field of drug control. He highlighted the importance of the sub-commission being held on the verge of the 10 year review of the UNGASS goals by the CND assumes a special significance as the review of the UNGASS goals was one of the topics proposed for discussion during this sub-commission. He also outlined the global drug abuse scenario and affect of the problem on member nations of sub-commission and hoped that the topics proposed for discussions by the working group of the sub-commission would come out with some positive deliberation to resolve the issue. He hoped that during this sub-commission, deliberations will be on what has been achieved and how far in pursuance of the resolutions and the Action Plan of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session 1998. These deliberations will provide valuable inputs to the next session of the CND.

In his address to the Session, Gary Lewis, Representative to Executive Director, UNODC, also outlined the issues related to global and regional drug trafficking scenario. He also stressed the need for strategy formulation by the governments to tackle the problem in an effective manner.

Smt. Jagjit Pavadia, Narcotics Commissioner, Central Bureau of Narcotics India was elected as Chairperson to the Session while Mr. Fahed Bin Affas Al-Qtaibi of Saudi Arabi and Lt. Col. Ibrahim Issa Mubarak Alboanain of Qatar were elected as Vice-Chairman. Mr. Mehmet Guzel of Turkey was elected as Rapporteur to the meeting. During the five days, detailed deliberations on various aspects of drug related problems were discussed. Participants were invited to inform the Sub-commission of their respective countries’ efforts as regards regional and sub-regional cooperation in areas such as joint investigations, law enforcement training and sharing of information and experience in taking measures to counter drug trafficking. Participants are requested to indicate in particular any practical problems impeding regional and sub regional cooperation and measures to overcome those problems.

Three working groups were drawn for discussions on the following subjects:

Current situation with respect to regional and sub regional cooperation.

Cannabis cultivation and trafficking in the region of the Sub-commission;

Law enforcement strategies to mobilize community support for drug demand reduction;

Opiate trafficking, precursor control and the increased need for international cooperation.

The working groups reviewed issues of regional importance and to facilitate informal discussions and frank exchanges of views on specific matters. The working groups presented their findings, conclusions and recommendations to the Subcommission for endorsement and inclusion in its report on the forty-second session. Each working group considered the following in the formulation of its recommendations:

(a) Identification of specific operational and other problems facing drug law enforcement in the region;

(b) Discussion of specific countermeasures to combat particular regional patterns of drug trafficking that could or should be implemented at the national, sub-regional or intraregional levels;

(c) Enhancement of regional cooperation by identifying potential partners in specific problem areas of drug control;

(d) Presentation of specific, relevant findings and recommendations to the Sub-commission.

Besides the meeting also informed of the follow-up to the action plans adopted by the General Assembly at its twentieth special session to achieve the targets of eradication of illicit drug crops and and the outcome of the fiftieth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

The representative from the countries also presented their country papers on these issues and apprise the meeting of the strategy and actions taken by their governments to tackle the problem and achieved the desired targets.

Suggestions and views of the representative were incorporated in the report of the meeting which was adopted by the meeting for submission to the meeting of Commission on Narcotic Drugs to be held at Vienna for ratification. The representatives from UNODC thanked the Government of India for successful hosting and providing necessary assistance in organizing the conference.