Chair: (…)

UNODC: We convened four meetings of HONLEA and one meeting of (…). Working group meetings to discuss supply and demand reduction. The outcomes were reported and adopted. Now available for the Commission’s guidance. The themes identified for 27th meetings were broad. I will bring a number: coordinating regional communication platforms supporting law enforcement, drug trafficking and other crime, alternatives to imprisonment for some offences, practical measures tailored for children and adolescent and prevention, countering money laundering, NPS, specific needs of women and girls, role of internet in addressing drug trafficking and abuse, diversion and trafficking in precursors, border management, proactive intelligence and capacity building in intelligence collation and analysis. Wide range of issues discussed at the HONLEA meetings and sub-commissions. Experts from private sector attended and were invited to advice how cooperation could be organised in tracing illicit financial flows. A number of recommendations were made and are now available.

Egypt: On the 27 HONLEA Africa. Participants discussed situation in the region. Fruitful discussions and recommendations Effective measures against money laundering and illicit financial flows, regional communication platforms with a view to support drug related law enforcement, trafficking in NPS (including khat, benzos, tramadol), issues related to specific needs of women and young girls. Recommendations thereon. Number of issues: meetings are optimal platform to strengthen cooperation and draft proposals and recommendations on future actions. Speakers highlighted threat of cannabis for the region. Also, growing abuse of heroin and cocaine and captagon, and trafficking on this, are major concern; as growing use of prescription medicine. Abuse of khat is still major concern, as well as smuggling into African region. Commitment to 2009, 2014 and 2019, complementary and mutually reinforcement. Support for the main body on the matter, CND.

Tanzania: We have the honour of hosting HONLEA in September 2018. We look forward to welcoming you.

Thailand: Trafficking is a threat to all. Common and shared responsibility. We need to increase international collaboration. HONLEA is a regional forum to foster this. Thailand is aware that there is not a one size fits all. Hence the need to tailor measures to specific contexts, to implement 2009 and 2016. Changing patterns of trafficking. We note increasing number of females being part of crime, used by drug syndicates. Latest HONLEA provided recommendations about ATS and NPS, and other illicit substances and precursors. Need to share information among law enforcement. Increase control on the internet and borders. Specific measures for children and young people. We’d like to learn from others. We need to build a network between us to tackle networks of drug syndicates.

United States: Reports from subsidiary bodies useful as recommendations based on regional perspective. A few items: growing use of internet, and thus need for training on cyber related offences. Allocation and integration of resources into comprehensive, integrated, balanced approaches to the world drug problem. Availability of controlled drugs for legitimate purposes. Challenge of precursors, synthetics and ATS. Greater coordination between law enforcement, money laundering and illicit flows. Subsidiary bodies recommend use of international mechanisms on law enforcement. We encourage all to continue to explore innovative means to improve coordinated responses.