The plenary is in the final session and just before the adoption of the report, the Minister for Health from Argentina was able to make a statement.

Argentina – Minister of Health said that perhaps the time has come to launch an open debate on some of the concepts that embodied in the treaties. He also noted the importance of human rights and recalled resolution 51/12 and the UNODC ED’s report in 2010 (CRP) on human rights. We need to review the concrete application of human rights both in reference to member states but also to UNODC in its own work.

Adoption of the report – The Rapporteur presents the report of the CND. Delegations are asked to submit editorial changes in writing to the CND Secretariat although some made short interventions from the floor.

Report of the round tables:
During the adoption discussion, the Algerian delegation did not agree that as stated in the report that there was a lack of capacity on the part of African States to deal with the world drug problem and asked this to be changed to ‘advance and strengthen the capacity of the African States’.

The Chair reminded the plenary that the report should be short and action-orientated. This is in fact the last year where there will be summaries at all of the discussions. This was discussed this morning and member states where given a chance to comment then. This new report format follows that of the General Assembly. There is very little capacity and resource to continue making longer reports.

Guatemala felt this to be unacceptable, the statements made from Central America on the Roundtables are not included. Guatemala insisted the position of the Central America countries be included (are we not ‘action-orientated’ in Central America?). The Chair agreed to address this in the final report.

Item 4: Implementation of the international drug control treaties
The GRULAC group felt their comments on the INCB have not been included under this item. The asked for an additional paragraph to note the importance of in-depth dialogues between member states and the INCB must be held,as such discussion would enable the INCB to understand the varied reality in the countries… as well as the challenges that they face and should therefore result in integrated and impartial reports from the Board.

Russia intervened by asking for clarification regarding the status of Harm Reduction International who had been given permission to speak on this agenda item. Did this organisation have ECOSOC status? Had the rules been followed correctly? The Secretariat responded to say that Harm Reduction International did have special consultative status with ECOSOC and that as far as they were aware all procedures has been correctly followed. Russia responded again to say that this should be clarified in the report and that also they as a member state, should be consulted on who is able to speak in plenary session and they did not recall such a consultation from the Expanded Bureau.

The rest of the CND report was adopted with very little comment – except the Russians again once questioned the status of NGOs speaking in the plenary as noted in the report.

Mr Fedotov made a closing statement and the Chair thanked all present, the other Chairs and the translators, Secretariat staff for their efforts.

The 55th Session was offically closed.