International Action to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Production and Trafficking

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 102 International drug control, published in 1997.

What other versions does this mandate have?

5 versions · 1994–1998

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/52/92

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
1998	A/RES/52/92	International action to combat drug abuse and illicit production and trafficking	4,174	68%Compare
1997	A/RES/51/64	International action to combat drug abuse and illicit production and trafficking	4,227	47%Compare
1996	A/RES/50/148	International action to combat drug abuse and illicit production and trafficking	3,443	69%Compare
1995	A/RES/49/168	International action to combat drug abuse and illicit production and trafficking	2,864	26%Compare
1994	A/RES/48/112	International action to combat drug abuse and illicit production and trafficking	2,392	–

What’s in this document?

76 operative paragraphs

I

Reaffirms that the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking must be carried out in full conformity with the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and international law, particularly respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and the non-use of force or the threat of force in international relations;

Calls upon all States to intensify their actions to promote effective cooperation in the efforts to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking, so as to contribute to a climate conducive to achieving this end, on the basis of the principles of equal rights and mutual respect;

II.INTERNATIONAL ACTION TO COMBAT DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING

Renews its commitment to further strengthening international cooperation and substantially increasing efforts against the cultivation for illegal purposes, illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotics and psychotropic substances, including synthetic drugs, and to controlling and preventing the diversion of precursors and essential chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic and psychotropic substances, in accordance with obligations of States under the United Nations drug control conventions, based on the principle of shared responsibility and taking into account experience gained;

Urges all States to ratify or accede to and implement all the provisions of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 19617 as amended by the 1972 Protocol,⁹the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971¹⁰and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988;¹¹

⁹Ibid., vol. 976, No. 14152.

¹⁰Ibid., vol. 1019, No. 14956.

¹¹See Official Records of the United Nations Conference for the Adoption of a Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Vienna, 25 November-20 December 1988, vol. I (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.XI.5).

Calls upon all States to adopt adequate national laws and regulations, to strengthen national judicial systems and to carry out effective drug control activities in cooperation with other States in accordance with those international instruments;

Requests the United Nations International Drug Control Programme:

To continue to support the focus on regional, subregional and national strategies for drug abuse control, particularly the master-plan approach, and to complement those strategies with effective interregional strategies;

To seek to strengthen the dialogue and cooperation with multilateral development banks so that they might undertake lending and programming activities related to drug control in interested and affected countries and to inform the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on further progress made in this area;

To continue to provide legal assistance to Member States that request it in adjusting their national laws, policies and infrastructures to implement the international drug control conventions, as well as assistance in training personnel responsible for applying the new laws;

To continue providing assistance to Member States requesting support in establishing or strengthening national drug detection laboratories;

To continue to include in its report on illicit traffic in drugs an assessment of worldwide trends in illicit traffic and transit in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including methods and routes used, and to recommend ways and means for improving the capacity of States along those routes to deal with all aspects of the drug problem;

Reaffirms the danger and threat posed to civil society by drug trafficking and its links to terrorism, transnational crime, money laundering and the arms trade, and encourages Governments to deal with this threat and to cooperate to prevent the channelling of funds to and between those engaged in such activities;

Acknowledges that there are links between the illicit production of, demand for and traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the economic and social conditions in the affected countries and that there are differences and diversity in the problems of each country;

Calls upon the international community to provide increased economic and technical support to Governments that request it for programmes of alternative and sustainable development, which have as their objectives the reduction and elimination of illicit drug production and which take fully into account the cultural traditions of peoples;

Recalls that the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the General Assembly on 14 December 1995,¹² stresses the importance of participation of youth organizations and youth in decision-making processes, in particular in relation to demand reduction programmes for illicit drugs;

¹²Resolution 50/81, annex.

Stresses the need for effective government action to prevent the diversion to illicit markets of precursors and essential chemicals, materials and equipment used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

Commends the International Narcotics Control Board for its valuable work in monitoring the production and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances so as to limit their use to medical and scientific purposes, and urges increased efforts to implement its mandate under article 12 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 concerning the monitoring of the movement of precursors and essential chemicals;

Notes that the International Narcotics Control Board needs sufficient resources to carry out its mandate, including under article 12 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988, and therefore urges Member States to commit themselves in a common effort to assign adequate and sufficient budgetary resources to the International Narcotics Control Board, in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/20 of 23 July 1996;

Calls upon States to increase efforts, with international cooperation, to reduce and eliminate illegal crops from which narcotics are obtained, as well as to prevent and reduce the demand for and the consumption of illicit drugs, in accordance with their obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988;

Underlines the need for Governments, with international cooperation, to increase and implement alternative development programmes with the objective of reducing and eliminating the production of illicit drugs, taking into account the economic, social, cultural, political and environmental aspects of the area concerned;

Emphasizes the need to maintain the capacity of the International Narcotics Control Board, including through the provision of appropriate means by the Secretary-General, within existing resources, and adequate technical support by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme;

Reaffirms the importance of achieving the objectives of the United Nations Decade against Drug Abuse 1991-2000, under the theme "A global response to a global challenge", by Member States, the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and the United Nations system;

Calls upon Member States to continue to cooperate with the United Nations International Drug Control Programme by providing relevant information and their views on the draft declaration on the guiding principles of demand reduction being developed by the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme in consultation with Member States, with due regard to the linkages between demand and supply reduction activities, and reaffirms the importance of Economic and Social Council resolutions 1996/18 of 23 July 1996 on the draft declaration on the guiding principles of demand reduction and 1995/16 of 24 July 1995 on integration of demand reduction initiatives into a cohesive strategy to combat drug abuse;

Welcomes Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/29 of 24 July 1996 on action to strengthen international cooperation to control precursors and their substitutes used in the illicit manufacture of controlled substances, in particular amphetamine-type stimulants, and to prevent their diversion, and calls upon Member States to strengthen their efforts to control precursors and their substitutes in cooperation with the International Narcotics Control Board;

Welcomes with satisfaction resolution 5 (XXXVIII) of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs¹³on strategies for illicit supply reduction, reaffirming the need to apply effective strategies for supply reduction, based on the implementation of plans and programmes for alternative development, which have as their objectives the reduction and elimination of illicit drug production;

¹³See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1995, Supplement No. 9 (E/1995/29), chap. XII, sect. A.

Stresses the importance of the high-level segment of the 1996 session of the Economic and Social Council, at which Member States reaffirmed their political will and commitment to adopt concrete actions for enhanced international cooperation at all levels;

III.GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION

Reaffirms the importance of the Global Programme of Action3 as a comprehensive framework for national, regional and international action to combat illicit production of, demand for and trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

Calls upon States to implement the mandates and recommendations of the Global Programme of Action, with a view to translating it into practical action for drug abuse control at the national, regional and international levels;

Urges all Governments and competent regional organizations to develop a balanced approach within the framework of comprehensive demand reduction activities, giving adequate priority to prevention, treatment, research, social reintegration and training in the context of national strategic plans to combat drug abuse;

Calls upon the relevant United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies, the international financial institutions and other concerned intergovernmental organizations and all actors of civil society, notably non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, sports associations and the private sector, to cooperate with and assist States in their efforts to promote and implement the Global Programme of Action;

Welcomes the efforts made by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to facilitate reporting by Governments on the implementation of the Global Programme of Action, and encourages them to pursue those efforts so as to increase the number of Governments that respond;

Notes the efforts being made by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and other United Nations bodies to obtain reliable data on drug abuse and illicit trafficking, including the development of the International Drug Abuse Assessment System, encourages the Programme, in cooperation with other United Nations bodies, to take further steps to facilitate the efficient collection of data so as to avoid duplication of effort, and encourages also the increased and timely provision of updated information by Member States;

Takes note of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/20 of 23 July 1996 on strengthening of the role of the International Narcotics Control Board and development of a unified information system for the collection and analysis of data concerning the nature, patterns and trends of the global problem of drug abuse;

Invites the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to consider ways of providing assistance to Member States that request it in their efforts to establish appropriate mechanisms to collect and analyse data and to seek voluntary resources for this purpose;

Underlines the importance of precise and reliable information on the impact of the drug problem on the world economy;

Calls upon Member States to continue to make efforts to provide systematic, precise and updated information to the United Nations International Drug Control Programme on the various ways in which the drug problem affects their economies;

IV

SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEVOTED TO THE COMBAT AGAINST THE ILLICIT PRODUCTION, SALE, DEMAND, TRAFFIC AND DISTRIBUTION OF NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

Welcomes Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/17 of 23 July 1996, and notes with satisfaction the support expressed at the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council of 1996 for the proposal to convene a special session of the General Assembly in 1998;

Decides to convene a special session in order to consider the fight against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities and to propose new strategies, methods, practical activities and specific measures to strengthen international cooperation in addressing the problem of illicit drugs;

Stresses that the special session should, as noted in Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/17, be devoted to assessing the existing situation within the framework of a comprehensive and balanced approach that includes all aspects of the problem, with a view to strengthening international cooperation to address the problem of illicit drugs within the framework of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 198810 and other relevant conventions and international instruments;

Reaffirms that, at its special session, it will address the issues on the basis of the principle of shared responsibility and with full respect for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and international law, particularly respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States;

Decides that the special session will be held for three days in June 1998, immediately after all the necessary preparatory work has been done to ensure its success and ten years after the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988;

Decides also that the Commission on Narcotic Drugs should act as the preparatory body for the special session of the General Assembly and that its deliberations should be open-ended, allowing for the full participation of all States Members of the United Nations and members of specialized agencies and observers, in accordance with established practice;

Invites the Commission on Narcotics Drugs to take appropriate measures to prepare for the special session, as early as possible, including the possibility of establishing working groups;

Notes with appreciation the initiatives by Member States aimed at providing input to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in its capacity as a preparatory forum for the special session, including the convening of groups of high-level governmental experts;

Recognizes the important role played by non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the Global Programme of Action contained in the annex to resolution S-17/2 of 23 February 1990, and recognizes the need for their active involvement in preparations for the special session in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996, as well as the need to ensure appropriate arrangements for their contribution during the special session;

Decides that the preparatory process for the special session of the General Assembly should be funded through the regular budget of the United Nations, bearing in mind the need to keep financial costs to a minimum, and that Governments should be invited to make extrabudgetary contributions to meet those costs;

Decides also that, as recommended by the Economic and Social Council, the special session shall have the following objectives:

To promote the adherence to and full implementation by all States of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961,7 the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 19719 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988;

To adopt measures to increase international cooperation to contribute to the application of the law;

To adopt measures to avoid the diversion of chemicals used in illicit drug production and to strengthen control of the production of and traffic in stimulants and their precursors;

To adopt and promote drug abuse control programmes and policies and other measures, including those at the international level, to reduce the illicit demand for drugs;

To adopt measures to prevent and sanction money laundering, in order to implement the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988;

To encourage international cooperation to develop programmes of eradication of illicit crops and to promote alternative development programmes;

To adopt measures to strengthen coordination within the United Nations system in the fight against drug trafficking and related organized crime, against terrorist groups engaged in drug trafficking and against illicit arms trade;

Decides further, at its special session, to review resolution S-17/2, particularly the progress made in implementing the Global Programme of Action annexed thereto;

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on preparations for, possible outcome of and organizational matters relating to the special session of the General Assembly,¹⁴and invites the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, while undertaking preparations for the special session, to bear in mind the recommendations contained in that report;

¹⁴A/51/469.

Invites the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, through the Economic and Social Council, on the progress in the preparations for the special session;

Stresses the importance of taking into account a gender perspective in preparing the outcome of the special session;

Encourages the participation of developing countries and assistance to the least developed countries, in order to work actively towards the attainment of the objectives and goals of the special session;

Invites organs, organizations and specialized agencies of the United Nations system, including multilateral development banks, to contribute fully to the preparations for the special session of the General Assembly, in particular by submitting to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, as the preparatory body for the special session, through the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, concrete recommendations on the issues to be addressed by the special session;

V

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM-WIDE ACTION PLAN ON DRUG ABUSE CONTROL: ACTION BY ORGANIZATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM

Supports the United Nations System-wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control5 as a vital tool for the coordination and enhancement of drug abuse control activities within the United Nations system, and requests that it be updated and reviewed on a biennial basis with a view to continuing efforts to improve its presentation and usefulness as a strategic tool of the United Nations for the drug problem;

Reaffirms the role of the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme in coordinating and providing effective leadership for all United Nations drug control activities, so as to increase cost-effectiveness and ensure coherence of action within the Programme as well as coordination, complementarity and non-duplication of such activities throughout the United Nations system;

Urges the United Nations organizations associated with the United Nations System-wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control to collaborate further with the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to integrate the drug control dimension and assistance into their programming and planning processes to ensure that the drug problem is being addressed in all its aspects in relevant programmes;

Takes note of the recent action taken by the Administrative Committee on Coordination to ensure the increased commitment by the specialized agencies, programmes and funds, as well as international financial institutions, to include the drug control dimension in their programmes of work;

Invites Member States to engage United Nations agencies and multilateral development banks in addressing the drug problem in all its aspects and to promote due consideration by governing bodies of requests for assistance for drug control programmes at the national level;

VI.UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAMME

Welcomes the efforts of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to implement its mandates within the framework of the international drug control treaties, the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control,2 the Global Programme of Action3 and relevant consensus documents;

Notes with concern the decline of available resources for the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme;

Endorses Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 10 (XXXIX)¹⁵ regarding a new system of financing activities of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, and urges all Governments to provide the fullest possible financial and political support to the organization by widening the donor base of the Programme and increasing voluntary contributions, in particular general-purpose contributions, to enable it to continue, expand and strengthen its operational and technical cooperation activities;

¹⁵See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1996, Supplement No. 7, (E/1996/27), chap. XIV.

Invites Governments and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to consider ways and means of improving the coordination of United Nations drug control-related activities;

Notes with appreciation the efforts made by the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to comply with the approved format and methodology of the programme budget of the Fund, in accordance with relevant resolutions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the General Assembly and the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, and encourages the Executive Director to continue his efforts to improve the presentation and transparency of the budget;

Stresses the importance of the meetings of heads of national law enforcement agencies, and encourages them to consider ways to improve their functioning and to strengthen their impact so as to enhance cooperation in the fight against drugs at the regional level;

VII

Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General submitted under the item entitled "International drug control";¹⁶

¹⁶A/51/129-E/1996/53, A/51/436, A/51/437 and A/51/469.

Requests the Secretary-General, taking into account the promotion of integrated reporting:

To submit comments to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, if necessary, on the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs regarding the preparations for the 1998 special session of the General Assembly;

To include in his annual report on the implementation of the Global Programme of Action recommendations on ways and means to improve implementation and provision of information by Member States;

To submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session an updated report on the status of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988.10