Takes note with appreciation of the outcome of the international seminar/workshop and the Second International Conference on Alternative Development, held in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Thailand, and Shan State, Myanmar, from 19 to 24 November 2015 and hosted by the Government of Thailand, in collaboration with the Government of Germany, the Government of Myanmar and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,10 as an input to continued discussions on and enhanced implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development,11 in accordance with national legislation;
Reaffirms, as highlighted in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development, that alternative development, as an integral component of policies and programmes for reducing drug production, is an important, viable and sustainable option for preventing, eliminating or significantly and measurably reducing the illicit cultivation of crops used for the production and manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances through tackling poverty and providing livelihood opportunities;
3
UrgesMember States affected by or at risk of illicit crop cultivation to consider integrating comprehensive and sustainable alternative development, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development, into national development policies and strategies, as appropriate, to address illicit crop cultivation and its related socioeconomic factors, provide sustainable alternative livelihoods and significantly contribute to the building of inclusive and just societies in order to reduce inequality within and among countries;
4
UrgesMember States, when formulating and implementing comprehensive and sustainable alternative development strategies and policies, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development strategies and policies, to take into account the specific needs of the communities and groups affected by the illicit cultivation of crops used for drug production and manufacture, within the broader framework of national policies;
5
Stresses that, when designing and implementing comprehensive and sustainable alternative development programmes and projects, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development programmes and projects, the focus should be on empowering and encouraging ownership by local communities, including women, children and young people, taking into account their specific needs, and on strengthening local capacities, as ensuring the effective cooperation of all stakeholders in the entire alternative development process is crucial for the success of alternative development;
6
Also stresses that comprehensive and sustainable alternative development, as one of the tools available for tackling the world drug problem, increases the State’s presence, builds trust between communities and government, strengthens local governance and institutions, promotes peaceful and inclusive societies and, under Sustainable Development Goal 16, includes the promotion of the rule of law;
7
Encouragesfurther discussions on the relationship and potential links between alternative development and the promotion of the rule of law by individuals and communities, as well as on the wide range of challenges affecting the livelihoods and well-being of people, in order to further develop measures to address the root causes of such challenges;
8
EncouragesMember States to ensure the proper and coordinated sequencing of development interventions when designing alternative development programmes;
9
Stresses that access to productive land and land rights, such as legal titles to land for farmers and local communities, should be promoted and protected in the implementation of comprehensive and sustainable alternative development programmes, in a manner that is consistent with domestic law and regulations as well as with the full participation of and in consultation with local communities;
10
Emphasizes that the marketability of products stemming from alternative development programmes should be assessed before implementing such programmes and, where applicable, alternative development products should be aimed at creating value-added chains to enable target communities to obtain higher incomes in order to support sustainable livelihoods and substitute the income generated from illicit crop cultivation;
11
Encouragesthe international community, including civil society, the scientific community and academia, to work with affected communities to develop recommendations focusing on specific alternative development strategies that take into account demographic, cultural, social and geographical conditions and include ideas on supporting and promoting new products;
12
Calls uponMember States to apply the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development when designing, implementing and evaluating alternative development programmes and projects, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development programmes and projects, and calls upon Member States with experience in this area to share outcomes, assessments of implemented projects and lessons learned, thereby contributing to the dissemination and application of the Guiding Principles;
13
UrgesMember States to sustain political will and a long-term commitment with regard to implementing alternative development programmes and strategies and to continue to engage in awareness programmes and in dialogue and cooperation with all relevant stakeholders;
14
Urgesrelevant international financial institutions, United Nations organizations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to increase their rural development support for regions and populations affected by or at risk of the illicit cultivation of drug crops through long-term and flexible funding, and encourages States, to the extent possible, to remain strongly committed to financing alternative development programmes, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development programmes;
15
EncouragesMember States to strengthen intragovernmental coordination when designing and implementing alternative development projects and programmes;
16
Encouragesall relevant United Nations entities and specialized agencies to further increase their interaction with the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in order to support Member States in effectively implementing alternative development programmes, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development programmes, with a view to further enhancing coherence and coordination within the United Nations system;
17
Encouragesdevelopment agencies, donors and financial institutions, the private sector, civil society and academia to share information, experiences and best practices, promote research and increase efforts on the promotion of alternative development, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development;
18
Recognizes that more research is needed to better understand and identify factors contributing to the emergence of illicit crop cultivation and to improve impact assessments of alternative development programmes;
19
Affirms that, in addition to estimates of illicit cultivation and other illicit activities related to the world drug problem, indicators related to human development, socioeconomic conditions, rural development and the alleviation of poverty, as well as institutional and environmental indicators, should be used when assessing alternative development programmes in order to ensure that the outcomes are in line with national and international development objectives, including the Sustainable Development Goals, and that they reflect accountable use of donor funds and truly benefit affected communities;
20
Calls uponMember States and other donors to consider providing long-term support to alternative development programmes and projects, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development programmes and projects, that target the illicit cultivation of drug crops, in order to contribute to the sustainability of social and economic development and poverty eradication, including through enhanced development-oriented approaches that implement measures for rural development, strengthen local governments and institutions, improve infrastructure, including the provision of public services such as water, energy, health and education in areas acutely impacted by the illicit cultivation of drug crops, promote the participation of local communities, enhance the empowerment of people and strengthen the resilience of communities;
21
EncouragesMember States to maintain and strengthen international cooperation to support comprehensive and sustainable alternative development programmes, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development programmes, as an essential part of successful crop control strategies, in order to increase the positive outcomes of such programmes, especially in areas affected by or at risk of the illicit cultivation of crops used for the production of narcotic drugs, taking into account the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development;
22
EncouragesMember States with extensive expertise in alternative development, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development, to continue to share best practices, upon request, promote research to better understand factors contributing to illicit crop cultivation and foster and strengthen international cooperation, including cross-continental, interregional, subregional and regional technical cooperation on integral and sustainable alternative development, which includes in some cases preventive alternative development;
23
InvitesMember States and other donors to provide extrabudgetary resources for the purposes described above, in accordance with the rules and procedures of the United Nations.
