Session on Item 3

Item 3: Policy directives to the drug programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and strengthening the drug programme and the role of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs as its governing body, including administrative, budgetary and strategic management questions

(a) Work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and policy directives

(b) Role of the Commission as the governing body of the drug programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(i) Strengthening the drug programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(ii) Administrative, budgetary and strategic management questions

(c) Staff composition of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other related matters

At this session, CND will have to decide on financial matters.

Iran and Spain have acted as co-chairs of a working group of government and finance (FINGOV).

Introductory statement.

UNODC financial situation. Following closing of 2014 account, program delivery to reach 512 million dollars. Improvement of technical assistance. Projected expenditure 46 million dollars per annum.

UNODC has suffered a drop in income. The drop in income reflects a drop in contributions from member states. This has also been the consequence of a devaluation of the Euro. The UNODC is relying on donor support to the general fund.

As part of implementation of the 2014-15 budget, the UNODC has  implemented a full cost recovery for all of its programmes.

New budget agreements now reflect full cost recovery. UNODC also responded to calls from member states and undertaken cost efficiency programmes in both Vienna and its field offices. $3 million saved in Vienna and $1.2 million saved in field.

UNODC is working with other UN secretariats with development goals.

UNODC has more 43.4% staff are women. UNODC is amongst most diverse departments in the UN.

UNODC is improving its results based management framework.

G77 and China
Positive role played by working group. Commend leadership of co-chairs of the working group. Welcome recommendations made in resolution L2 for strengthening the financial support for the UNODC. Importance of continued support for strengthening human resource development for gender and regional balance and diversity. Commitment to working group’s tasks. Member states and secretariat must address ways to manage the limited resources of the UNODC.

Sweden
Welcome increase in special purpose funding. Concerned with continuous decrease in general purpose funding. Need to implement the full cost recovery form as soon as possible. Enables us to have an informal discussion on costs, sustainability, and transparency. UNODC needs to keep overhead costs at a minimum. Need efficiency. Need to widen the donor base and in-kind donations from states. Regret that very little progress has been made. Very few women hold senior level positions in the office. Equal gender balance exponentially increases effectiveness. Would like a plan to address this immediately. UNODC needs to drastically strengthen its efforts on results-based management. Funding strategy that reflects global needs is required, with comparable metrics across offices and strategies. Change must start now. Next annual budget needs to incorporate results-based management. Annual report and strengthened evaluation functions will be steps in this direction.

Brazil
Supports statements made by G77 and China. UNODC contributions to dealing with world drug problem in all ways are valued. Importance is seen in financial and logistics support that Brazil provides to the office in Brazil. Full support to extending the mandate of FINGOV, an essential tool to continuously improve transparency and accountability at UNODC. Human resources need to also be improved. Essential to also receive updates on human resource development on nationalities and regions from which professional level and management staff come. Balanced geographic distribution is key to improve the UNODC’s work. Repeat the call for the secretariat to pay even more attention to this concern in its recruitment policies. Need detailed information. 

India
Supports statements made by G77 and China. Strong supporter of the work of the UN. Apart from making a regular financial contribution, have also been contributing to UNODC South Asian office. Also a donor to the Paris Pact initiative aimed at tackling Afghan origin opiate trafficking. Partnership with UNODC further strengthened by UNODC ED visit to India. India commitment to fund a project by UNODC in South Asia which involves emergence of new psychoactive substances, regional cooperation to counter the drug threat, abuse of pharmaceutical substances, and computer-based training in the region. Support efforts for promoting a culture of evaluation at all stages. Thank the ED for report on UNODC’s activities during 2014. Refer with concern to paragraph 32 of the report. Need greater transparency.

Japan
Since its establishment, recognizes that FINGOV has been a useful forum for discussion and wishes for it to be extended by two years. Underline that the full cost review needs to applied in transparent and constant manner. Japan requests for full cost recovery implementation methods to be made available. Steep decrease in general funding. More contributions should be sought from donors as well as improvement in implementation of full cost recovery.

Norway
Norway has noted the lack of agreement on the strategic direction of the UNODC. This results in a reduction of UNODC’s impact. Norway understands the wide thematic range and complex structure of UNODC. However, UNODC still requires a general strategic framework. Norway is particularly concerned by the lack of respect by certain countries in implementation of UNODC initiatives. Human rights should be the baseline for implementation of any program.

United States of America
Thanks UNODC on addressing its budgeting issues. Thanks FINGOV. Through the implementation of these budget initiatives, UNODC efforts must remain in line with the three UN drug conventions, the UN convention on transnational crime, and the UN convention on corruption. Recognizes the UNODC’s foresight in combatting new psychoactive drugs. Provided $23 million in 2014 to support UNODC activities. Notes that the decline in US funds was due to internal funding mechanisms. It was not aimed at sending a message to the UNODC. It remains essential that the UN implement full cost recovery in a transparent and consistent manner. Also, request that structures be considered which can encourage the rise of female employees into senior positions within the UNODC.Thailand
Support mandate which allows dialogue between member states and the secretariat on UNODC programs and themes, as well as evaluation and oversight matters. Benefit of increasing focus of UNODC financial framework and regional support for programs and activities. Closer cooperation between UNODC in Vienna and regional offices to promote greater efficiency. Committed to continuous cooperation.China
Satisfaction with work done by UNODC in the past year. UNODC has done a lot in helping countries to prevent the use of drugs and technical assistance to member states in the drugs field. Undoubtably is the leader in the field of the fight against drugs and crimes. UNODC will continue to play a constructive and coordinating role in the cooperations towards the UNGASS. Support extension of the mandate of FINGOV. Appeal to countries to provide more support to UNDOC so that it has enough means to continue its work. China has increased its contributions to UNODC in various extents. Appreciation to the support and training provided by UNODC to China. Increase support to regions in South Asia and Mekong. Support and agree to the technical assistance activities carried out by UNODC in the framework of the conventions and at the request of member states. Drafting of model law belongs to activities of norm setting, so should fall into the mandate of member states. If it is necessary for UNODC to draft model laws in the field of technical assistance, should get authorization by CND or CCPCJ beforehand.Korea
As a global body, UNODC has to reflect different cultures and interests in its work. Need to incorporate diverse regions and gender in hiring.

India HIV/AIDS Alliance
I am registered under the Washington Office on Latin America and speak on behalf of the India HIV/AIDS Alliance. We appreciate the efforts of the UNODC in countries such as India to work in collaboration with communities of people who use drugs on harm reduction, enhancing partnerships between public health and law enforcement agencies, and drug dependence treatment. I wish to highlight a few areas for further attention by the UNODC in the implementation of their drug programme:

• implementation of minimum standards of care for the delivery of harm reduction and drug dependence treatment services including opioid substitution therapy,
• ensuring greater focus and investment is made in meeting gender-specific needs as current services are mainly catered for men, and women who use drugs have different health and social service needs
• investment in increasing engagement with drug user networks and groups to increase their participation and representation in implementing and developing drug policies grounded in principles of health and human rights
• as with several other regions of the world, all countries in Asia criminalise and punish drug use, and by default people who use drugs, I ask that the UNODC focus their work in ensuring the removal of criminal and administrative penalties, including compulsory detention, for people who use drugs and are in possession of  drugs for personal use. Instead, options for health and social assistance should be offered to prevent and address the marginalisation, stigma and discrimination so often suffered by people who use drugs around the world.
• In addition as is demonstrated in many countries across Asia, the implementation of health and harm reduction programmes are often contradicted by drug laws and policies that inflict severe penalties and harsh punishment for drug use, including possession for personal use, which are often implemented by law enforcement agencies. We ask that the UNODC work to address these contradictions between health and law enforcement in the implementation of its drug programme in regions such as Asia,
• Prison populations across Asia are potential health disasters waiting to happen. Disproportionate sentencing frameworks for drug offences, and greater investment in law enforcement measures instead of health and harm reduction, have helped to spur high levels of arrests and imprisonment for drug offences in the region. In addition to ensuring more proportionate sentencing frameworks for drug offences, we ask that the UNODC work to improve prison health conditions in Asia where drug use remains prevalent and harm reduction services are sorely needed.
• The need for a harmonized law enforcement and public health approach cannot be denied. We stand ready to work with the UNODC to achieve better drug policy outcomes through a coordinated effort that is grounded in health and human rights.

G77 and China
Item 3C – Regional and gender balance at senior and policy-making levels of UNODC are inadequate. Must be incorporated into the hiring of UNODC, both at headquarters and policy offices. This item should remain as a standing item in the agenda in the future.

Deputy Executive Director of the UNODC
Brazil made a good point that when we talk about HIV prevention and care, we also need to focus on use of stimulants. UNODC is doing that. Development of fast track project with UNAIDS. UNODC and civil society organizations are meeting frequently. India noted that we need to make the study of new psychoactive substances a greater focus. Regional cooperation is also important. Japan and other member states, reassure them that we will share with you everything about the full cost recovery program. Dramatic changes for the 2,100 UNODC staff members working in 73 offices around the world. Seen the demand for our services go up dramatically. No longer just organizing workshops. Very sophisticated jobs. We have become and will continue to become much better at working with partners. Been working on gender issues. Member states asking for more work on violence against women, and specific needs of women within this field. Many countries are increasing their contributions to the UNODC. Helping us to make use of external evaluations. Transparency is becoming much easier for us.

UNODC
Revised figures for the budget show that our drug control program accounts for over 50% of UNODC. Budget increased from 2010 to 2014. At the same time, the funding for prevention and development increased significantly. Importance of adequate investment in strategic planning so the office can put in place robust monitoring of achievements.