13-17 March 2023, Vienna, Austria – On the occasion of the 66th Session of the UNODC Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), held at the UNHQ in Vienna, PAM was represented by Amb. Peter Schatzer, PAM Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna, who attended the meeting in-person, and Hon. Dherar Belhoul Humaid Al Falasi (UAE), PAM co-rapporteur on Counterterrorism and Special Representative for Women and Children in Armed Conflicts.
Hon. Al Falasi addressed, through a video-message, the General Debate, which counted the interventions of more than hundred participants from the UN Member States, Intergovernmental Organizations, and NGOs.
In his speech, he focused on the involvement of Hezbollah in drug trafficking, which represents a major challenge for the international community, and endangers the stability of all the countries in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions, and far beyond.
In recent times, e-commerce, to illegally sell drugs all over the world, has replenished the coffers of criminal organizations and terrorist groups. This contributes to increasing poverty and insecurity in societies, and Hezbollah’s involvement in this activity only exacerbates these problems and creates even more instability and harm.
Hon. Al Falasi expressed his concerns in particular for the trafficking of Captagon, which is smuggled from Syria into Jordan, Lebanon, and the Gulf States, often taking advantage of the misery and suffering of individuals and communities. At the same time, drug addition is a complex issue, which needs a multifaceted response by the international community, in order to address its root causes, promoting prevention measures and treatments to rehabilite the victims.
After five days of discussions, members of the CND adopted four resolutions, focused on the preparations for the mid-term review, to be held during the sixty-seventh session of the CND in: – the promotion of alternative development as a development-oriented drug control
strategy; – the safe handling and disposal of synthetic drugs; – and strengthening information-sharing to increase scientific evidence-based support to international scheduling. In addition, seven new substances/chemicals were placed under international control.
PAM will continue to support the efforts of the international community to address drug trafficking, which represents one of the most profitable activities for criminal networks and terrorist organizations, and has terrible impacts on the prosperity and well-being of people.//