We associate with the two statements delivered by the G77 group and the Africa Group. Egypt is committed to the provisions of the 3 UN conventions and the 2009 political declaration. Our presence here today is a true reflection of the international community’s commitment to fight against drugs. It also reflects a real desire for efficiency.

Egypt was one of the first states to realise the threats of drug control and taking measures to criminalise the production of hashish. We have taken part in setting up the building blocks of the global drug control regime starting with the 1912 Hague Convention, until the adoption of the 3 current drug control conventions.

The various changes that the drug problem went through have led to increased concerns by the international community of the widening problems of drugs, and have resulted in a paradigm shift to reduce demand and supply.

Egypt has adopted a national integrated anti-drugs strategy that is multi centred: fight illicit trafficking, smuggling, crop eradication, fight criminal networks and kingpins, stricter controls on precursors. We have also increased international cooperation.

We have participated in preparing for the UNGASS and consider that the CND has taken an important step to help member states to achieve their objectives in 2019. We need to identify challenges and next steps.

We hope to have a world free of drugs. This cannot be done by individual efforts. We need real collective, genuine efforts. This meeting will be able to adopt many meaningful resolutions to provide a better future for our peoples.