[…]

Iran: The US itself is at the forefront of destabilizing the international community. We have seen that how they have destroyed the multilateralism; they have withdrawn from several multilateral initiatives, they have withdrawn from several international organizations. So again, this is all stripped back. So they all behind many, many destabilizing activities across the world, including in the region of the Middle East. This is again, also a clear fact Iran is not actually behind these activities. This is the United States that or is behind all these destabilizing activities. The representative of the US again claimed that the day they have some exemptions when it comes to the humanitarian activity. This is again a very clearly lie to the international community. Everybody knows that due to the sanctions and restrictions against the financial transfer challenge, nobody in the target countries is allowed and is able to import and to supply humanitarian items as specifically at this Coronavirus situation for the medicines and actually medical equipment. These are the facts. The United States is acting against international law, the United States is acting against the human rights law. The United States is acting against the Charter of the United Nations and has a very clear international responsibility in this regard. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Chair: Your delegates, ladies and gentlemen. We have been through the two rights of reply first by the United States and in response by Iranian delegation. This brings this brings us to the close of agenda item for on our agenda of the CND today, and we move forward to the consideration of agenda item five, which is entitled implementation of the international drug control treaties. As we did not finish our consideration of this item on second December, when we only had voting on WHO recommendations on cannabis and cannabis related issues. I would like to invite the chief of the laboratory and scientific section of the UNODC to address the Commission on this agenda item. Mr. Tatty, you have the floor.

UNODC: Thank you, chairperson distinguished delegates, the 2020 UNODC global synthetic drug assessment, which was published last week shows us the immense challenge, which the international community continues to face with new psychoactive substances. In just over a decade, thousand substances have emerged in over 126 countries and territories worldwide. Unfortunately, a number of these have been associated with fatalities and adverse health events of great concern issues such as the non medical use of Tramadol in parts of Africa and the Middle East. The use of fentanyl analogues and other opioids in North America and increasing reports of the use of sedative hypnotics in driving in Europe, Asia and Americas. But there are also some long standing concerns such as the increasing global manufacture and use of metal and methamphetamine. The 2016 United Nations General Assembly special session on drugs recognized the critical importance of prioritizing the most harmful of these imagined substances for international action in order to protect human health.  This loadable vision of member states has been realized through the UNODC early warning advisory on new psychoactive substances. UNODC is pleased that this resource now allows us to provide timely scientific information to the World Health Organisation, in support of its treaty base function of recommending the most harmful substances to the commission for consideration. It is also informing the responses of countries on several issues such as national legislative responses, precursor controls for capacity building, and access for medical and scientific use. We wish to recognise the continuing support of the governments of Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States in developing and maintaining what has become a critical resource, international drug control system, the early identification of emerging threats when ODC is leveraging its technologies and our work on cybercrime to increase the timeliness of our detection of cracks aim to move from early warning to earliest warnings. The chairman distinguished delegates, unfortunately, early warning will be of limited or no use, if countries do not have the necessary tools to translate these two le actions. In the same vein, the 20% increase in the total number of substances under international control resulting from decisions for the CMD to add 60 substances to the 1961 and 71 convention, and six precursors to the 1988 convention in just over five years. To be able to translate early warning and CND scheduling decisions to action, UNODC launched a dedicated website this year, to host the United Nations toolkit on synthetic drugs. This tool serves as a one stop shop for all resources on synthetic drugs across the entire United Nations system, including from un ODC as well the organisation, the International Narcotics Control Board, and the universal postal union with best practices, manuals, guidelines and videos, and even an option to directly contact an expert. This innovative tool features 230 resources cluding National legislative responses, precursor controls, access to medicines and the development of national early warning systems. As of today, it has been assessed by experts from nine to six countries, current disciplines such as forensics, policy, law enforcement, research and academia. And it continues to receive rave reviews. We would like to thank the government to the United States for the significant contribution of making this possible and to the Russian Federation for extending the use of the toolkit to the Russian speaking world just this morning. We also talked the organisation of American States for the ongoing collaboration to make this available to the Western Hemisphere by the next session of the Commission. UNODC would welcome the support of other countries to make this available in all the official un languages to enable worldwide availability and accessibility of the tools and the guidance, which we desperately need for early actions. Mr Chair as we pass practice, all the guidance needed to implement the scheduling decisions from the march 2020 CND. Such as the multilingual dictionaries on drugs and precursors and laboratory and scientific sections series of recommended methods of analysis of substances and maintenance. National control will be made available through the United Nations toolkit. In this context, UNODC is pleased to announce the release today of its recommended methods of analysis of synthetic cannabinoids. These will allow countries to identify over 300 synthetic cannabinoids identified since the start of the decade. We invite countries to make use of these unique resources to help in implementation of the Commission’s scheduling decisions. Mr. Chair, I thank you.

WHO: Thank you Mr. Chair for allowing me the opportunity to introduce the recommendations made by the 43rd WHO expert committee on drug dependence. The ECDD is mandated by the international drug control conventions to issue scientific recommendations to the CND regarding the scope of international control of psychoactive substances, under the 1961 single convention and narcotic drugs, or the 1971 convention on psychotropic substances, WHO ECDD reviews psychoactive substances to determine the risks of abuse, dependence and harm to health, and considers the importance of their therapeutic use for relevant conventions established internationally applicable control measures, while ensuring the availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific purpose to fulfil this treaty mandate, WHO initiates a critical review process to issue recommendations to the CND. A critical review is an evidence-based process that considers both published and unpublished data that are available, including by directly collecting information through a member state questionnaire, and drawing upon information from databases from UNODC. INCB, EMCDDA and WHO. WHO engages in a consultation process before each ECDD meeting to allow interested parties the opportunity to present relevant information to the committee and to provide comments on the critical review reports assessed by the committee. The international conventions require ECDD to review individual substances only, and to consider evidence of similarity to currently controlled substances and their abuse and harm to health. Therefore, following its review process, the ECDD may make recommendations to place under a substance under the schedules of the 1961 or the 1971 conventions, or place it under surveillance.

The 43rd ECDD convened in a virtual format from the 12th to the 16th of October 20 2011. New psychoactive substances were reviewed for the first time brought to the attention of WHO – these substances are clandestinely manufactured, pose a risk to public health and have no recognised therapeutic use. ECDD recommended that eight of these substances be placed under international control: […] is a synthetic opioid that is more potent than fentanyl and hydromorphone similar to other opioids, which are controlled under schedule one of the 1961 single convention on narcotic drugs. It has appeared relatively recently on the illicit drug market and has been seized in multiple countries and regions. It has no recognised therapeutic use. The number of deaths involving […] share common features with heroin deaths, including evidence of injection and signs consistent with opioid overdose, such as pulmonary or cerebral edema. Deaths are likely to be underreported, due to the recent and rapid appearance. Therefore the committee recommended that it should be controlled under schedule one of the 1961 convention. The committee considered two synthetic cannabinoids that have a mechanism of action similar to those of other synthetic cannabinoids that are currently scheduled. Their effects include known cannabinoids effects such as euphoria, dissociation, red eyes, dry mouth and appetite stimulation. They have been found in seized materials for smoking and vaping and have no therapeutic use. It has been associated with fatalities, with cases of impaired driving and other reported effects include confusion, memory loss and agitation. Committee recommended therefore that it should be controlled under schedule two of the 1971 convention on psychotropic substances. The committee reviewed two dissociative types of drugs with similar effects to phencyclidine, or PCP, which is currently controlled under schedule two of the 1971 convention. There is evidence of use of these substances in a number of countries across different regions, or they have no recognised therapeutic use. Effects include an altered mental state characterised by confusion, disorientation, and out of body experiences as well as hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms. You know, intoxications and emergency room admissions have also been reported, as can be therefore recommended that they be placed under schedule II in 1971 convention. The committee reviewed three benzodiazepines similar to other benzodiazepines which are currently controlled under scheduled for of the 1971 convention on psychotropic substances. They have no therapeutic use, our reports of identification in multiple countries representing all regions, indicating that their use may be increasing. These substances are sometimes sold as falsified pharmaceutical benzodiazepines and have been involved in cases of drug facilitated sexual assault. These drugs can cause severe central nervous system depression, including somnolence, confusion, sedation and unconsciousness. Cases of intoxication in emergency departments and intensive care units have been reported, as have been cases of impaired driving. Withdrawal symptoms have also been reported, indicating their dependence potential. Before the committee recommended that these substances be controlled under schedule four of the 1971 convention on psychotropic substances. The committee recommended three substances be placed under surveillance. The committee noted that the magnitude of […] use has been declining in recent years, and therefore consider that there was insufficient evidence of a public health and social problems at this time to warrant placing them under international control.  The committee considered a synthetic hallucinogen with similar effects to other known hallucinogens, which are currently controlled under schedule one. However, there was very limited information on its effects in humans, and therefore it was placed under internet under surveillance. […] has a mode of action similar […] that is currently placed in schedule two of the convention of psychotropic substances but there appears to be a lack of evidence as to the extent to public health and social problems and uncertainty about the degree of toxicity that it produces. Therefore, it was placed under surveillance. The outcomes of the 43rd  ECDD have been endorsed by the WHO Director General and have been communicated to the UN Secretary General. In the phone meeting outcomes will be published in the WHO technical report series, and are also available online. I thank you, Mr. Chair for the opportunity to present these outcomes.

Chair: And the floor is now open for comments by Member States.

Ukraine: An interpretative statement and the position of Ukraine concerning voting and its results, which took place at the first day of our session, will be distributed later in a written form in the database of the CND. And please include this my short statement to the journal of the day. Thank you.

Canada: On behalf of the Canadian delegation, I would like to express my gratitude to the chair, UNODC, the Secretariat, Member States and our civil society partners for their commitment and flexibility that has enabled us to hold this virtual session today. The discussion on the cannabis recommendations has been a priority over the past year. I would like to encourage member states to aim our efforts toward other drug policy priorities, and particularly the proliferation and threat of synthetic drugs, including opioids. In this regard, the UN common position drug policy provides valuable guidance to the UN od C’s balanced efforts to address the complex challenges of synthetic drugs. Member States are aware, the ongoing opioid crisis is a key priority for the Government of Canada. The crisis has resulted in the loss of at least 16,300 lives between January 2016 and march 2020. In Canada, we continue to be committed to working with all levels of government and international partners to counter the emergence of synthetic drugs and improve health and safety and to do so our approach must balance both safe supply reduction and demand reduction perspectives are evidence based and respect human rights. Tragically, since March, the covid 19 pandemic has exacerbated these long standing challenges posed by the use of substances and opioid overdose which has had a devastating impact nationwide. In British Columbia, for instance, 2332 deaths were recorded between March and October 2020 due to toxicity of illicit drugs consumption. To put this in perspective, this is roughly four times the total number of individuals who have died as a result of COVID-19 in British Columbia. That’s due to overdose among members of the First Nations in British Columbia have equally risen tragically, nearly doubling between January and May of 2020 compared to 2019.

Other provinces and territories throughout the nation have reported similar trends throughout the duration of COVID-19. The Canadian government has adopted measures to ensure that the health system is better able to meet the needs of persons grappling with problematic substance use, chiefly through measures aimed at preventing crime related to drug supply within streets drugs, which are increasingly toxic, and efforts geared towards meeting challenges linked to providing access to treatment and helping mitigate harm. We have facilitated access for persons affected by problematic substance use to medication that they require and have equally facilitated the implementation of rapid treatment centers dealing with overdoses in temporary areas and in remote areas. Due to these new measures vulnerable people are able to better acquire the support that they need, while upholding public health directives based on social distancing and self isolation. Building on earlier investments, the government announced this week an additional $66 million to support community based organisations responding to substance use issues, including to help them provide frontline services in the COVID-19 context. In addition to the above public health measures, Canada continues to support international supply reduction efforts, such as the anti-crime capacity building programme ACCBP, which builds the capacity of foreign states to address transnational crime, is supporting eight operational projects targeting illicit drugs worth 20 point 9 million Canadian dollars. Chair, we remain committed to working closely with our government partners nationally, along with other key stakeholders, including people who use drugs and civil society to advance effective solutions to address this devastating crisis. Our commitment extends to our international partners that CND and we look forward to continuing those efforts at the 64th session in April.

USA: Thank you chair. We are committed to supporting the CND and the WHO and their efforts to improve the functionality and efficiency of the International scheduling system. While international scheduling is not a silver bullet, it is an essential component of the multi-pronged solution set required to beat synthetic drug threats. It is for this reason the United States provides support to help UNODC accelerate international scheduling of dangerous drugs and chemicals as well as implementation of those scheduling decisions. Another essential ingredient in this multi pronged approach is the need for new and innovative public-private partnerships. United States is proud to support UNODC’s and the INCB’s efforts to enhance Member States public private partnerships in hopes of fostering greater collaboration against the world drug problem. Among other things, this initiative will support an information sharing platform for public, public and private sector entities. We encourage member states to avail themselves of this valuable platform as another vehicle to better respond to illicit drug threats. Another important consideration in addressing the threat of synthetic drugs is the need to remain committed to the treaty mandated role of the International Narcotics Control Board, which is to cooperate with states parties in their efforts to achieve the aims of the drug control treaties – it is not the INCB’s role to monitor state party compliance with the drug conventions. Canada fully supports the INCB in this treaty mandated role, including to endeavour to limit the cultivation, production, manufacture and use of drugs to an adequate amount required for medical and scientific purposes to ensure their availability for such purposes and prevent illicit cultivation, production and manufacture of and illicit trafficking and use of drugs. This important consensus was underlined in CND resolution 62/8 and we must ensure this language is consistent across all resolutions related to combating the world drug problem. Unfortunately, this year’s UN GA third committee resolution on international cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem, incorrectly described the INCB’s treaty mandated role.

Moving forward, we hope to make this important correction in next year’s text to ensure UN GA resolutions remain relevant and consistent with the CND, which is the UN entity with prime responsibility for international Drug Control Policy. At the same time, we as the CND must take full responsibility for carrying out our treaty mandated functions. The CND must be willing to exercise its policymaking authority as we work together to achieve the aims of the conventions and to address the modern drug challenges. You also note that WHO’s briefing on the outcome of 43rd expert committee on drug dependence to review substances for international control, and we request that this continued to be a standing agenda item in reconvened sessions. Finally, it is important to stress that in addition to preventing the diversion of drugs from listed sources, to illicit channels to international control framework also obligates state parties to ensure access of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes, which are equally important. We must strive to ensure that domestic laws, regulations and practices suitably reflect this dual mandate. I thank you.

Mexico: Chair we hadn’t planned to make a statement but given that our country is the main co-sponsor of the omnibus resolution, we would like to clarify the following: for all countries, co-sponsors and all those countries that were able to lend their support to the omnibus draft resolution, in particular at the paragraph on the INCB, correct in keeping with the wording of the conventions, and we would agree with the delegations that spoke previously. We hope that next year, they will be able to join in our reading and interpretation which is the same reading upheld by the international community and that they will be able to co-sponsor this in the future. Thank you.

Nigeria: The non-medical use of synthetic opioids has remained dynamic and continues to evolve with time. This is in view of the fact that such opioids usually allow for medical use to cure different elements and so are always readily available, even where they are under international or local control. In Nigeria, the drugs that pose the most difficult challenge to health regulation on law enforcement side is Tramadol […] that is diverted into manufacturing of methamphetamine for international trafficking. Nigeria continues to experience serious challenge by the trafficking and non-medical use of Tramadol. The abuse of Tramadol and other synthetic opioids is significant and delicate and is prevalent among the youth, and in recent times, married women and mothers on whom society has placed the responsibility of nurturing human and societal values. This therefore constitute a significant challenge to human civilization. Hence, Nigeria has placed Tramadol under national control and continue to provide training on capacity building for law enforcement personnel in our efforts to combat persistent Tramadol abuse, which has also taken a regional dimension. It is important to note that in the just concluded extraordinary sessions of heads of law enforcement, all UNODC representative in the various regions or sub regions in Africa, reported that abuse of Tramadol is found increased throughout the regions in Africa through a process facilitated by the UNODC. To tripartite meetings involving Nigeria, Ghana and India were held in New Delhi and Lagos in 2019. On the way forward to address the Tramadol crisis, while Nigeria continue our efforts at a national and regional levels, we reiterate our call on the urgent need to place Tramadol on international control in order to reduce its damaging effects to the global population, while ensuring its assets and availability for medical and scientific purposes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Kazakhstan: In 2001, the country saw significant rise in the number of persons with drug addiction issues. At that time, the government decided to establish our republican scientific and practical center for medical health. Today it carries out the primary function of treating, preventing and rehabilitating drug addicts. It ensures an increase in the effectiveness and quality of assistance to drug addiction issues. One of the main tasks of the centers providing specialized assistance to drug addicts as well as medical and social rehabilitation. The treatment and rehabilitation programme has been scientifically cooperated on an experimental basis. Our main goal is to provide access to anyone to frontline medical and health networks, NGOs and individual assistance. It’s possible also to be provided with free medical care and consultation. The characteristic of the programme is the stage nature of the treatment from detox at the first stage to integrative and development, psychotherapy and then social rehabilitation and reenter reintegration on the third. Patients typically spend two to 18 months in the clinic. It’s important that patients remain engaged at each stage of the programme. Engagement is provided for through a mix of services, be it simple information, input from doctors and narcotics experts as well as therapy and as well as therapy and voluntary activities. We think that the basis for rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary approach. This is provided through our staff of 17 doctors and our experts in psychotherapy, we also have three social workers and two consultants. This team deals at various levels, with the issue of drug dependence, assisting patients up into the stage of social reintegration, helping them with documents and even employment. Each year we treat 700 patients.

Right now we’re seeing people with issues with new cycles of addiction to new psychotropic substances. We use indicators, such as how long people stay in the programme, as well as the yearly assessment of remission and social reintegration. The full presentation is going to be later published on the site. Thank you.

Chair: I thank the delegation of Kazakhstan for making the statement under this agenda item five. With this we have closed agenda item five and now we move to agenda item nine. We will consider this agenda item nine entitled contributions by commission to the work of the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC in line with General Assembly Resolution 72/305, including follow up to and review and implementation of the two thirds of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I would like to inform you that as had also been the case in previous years, the commission submitted a substantive input to the 2020 High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development that convened under the auspices of the council from seven July 216 July 2020. Further, I would like to inform you that in its resolution 74 / 298 General Assembly decided to conduct the review of General Assembly Resolution 72 / 305. On the review of the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 68/1 on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council 75th session. In the same resolution, the assembly decided that the thematic focus of the Economic and Social Council for its 2021 session and the 2021 high level political forum shall be sustainable and resilient recovery from the covid 19 pandemic that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development. The following set of goals will be reviewed in depth 1, 2,3,8,10,12,13, 16 and 17. The assembly also decided that the review shall take into account different impacts of the covid 19 pandemic across all Sustainable Development Goals […] implementing the 2030 agenda in its entirety and address the inter-linkages between goals. I believe we have a list of speakers already registered under this agenda item.

China: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Due to the technical problems, our delegates at the Capitol cannot join us for this meetings. China fully appreciates the efforts undertaken by UNODC, INCB and WHO for the international community to address the threats of drugs protect public health and well-being, especially the outstanding contributions they have made to uphold the three international drug control conventions and achieve SDGs. As a strong supporter and state party to the three drug control conventions, China fulfils the commitments set out in the outcome document of the 2016 Congress and the ministerial declaration of the 2019, high level segment of the CMD and continues the efforts to improve and enhance the top level design and measures. Improving the capacity to better address the drug problem was the principle of common and shared responsibility in an integrated and comprehensive manner while taking into account the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China has initiated the drug prevention education programme for the entire population and the built internet based drug education platform for the young people – 96 million registered users recently acknowledged competition on drug control for young people was held with the direct participation of 88.9 9 million students, which was live broadcasted to 30 million viewers. A call was made to the use to say no to drugs, continued efforts are made to improve the people centered drug treatment and rehabilitation model. To ensure a treatment for drug users efforts are made to develop community based drug treatment and rehabilitation, we offer the drug users social reintegration. Relentless efforts are made to fight drug manufacturer and trafficking with the focus on the use of modern technologies to counter drug crime. A series of special operations are launched including clean border operation to prevent and fight drug manufacturing and trafficking. We actively promote law enforcement, judicial and an anti money laundering cooperation. The drug situation in China is improving with continued systematic and comprehensive control measures. At the same time, in the face of emerging trends and new challenges, China strictly regulates and controls narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals. China regulates and controls NPS, which have potential harm in humanitarian spirit, and in line with comment and the shared responsibility, in particular start starting from May 1 2019. China exercise this control on the whole category of fentanyl. China’s practice proves that the control regulatory system centered on the three drug control conventions is playing an active role, and that scientific policies and planning integrated and balanced measures can effectively address the drug problem. China urges the international community to unswervingly uphold the authority of the drug control conventions, assume common shared responsibilities, learn from each other and build a community of shared future for mankind free from drugs. Thank you.

International Association for hospice and palliative care: Chair, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, the International Association for hospice and palliative care. Thanks, Executive Director for endorsing the joint statement on access to internationally controlled medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic published on August 14 of this year in coordination with WHO and the INCB. INCB has noted the fast disparities in access to international controlled essential medicines causing severe health related suffering in many, many CND member states. Even before COVID-19 patients in lower and middle income countries who required medicines listed in the schedules of the international drug control conventions to relieve severe pain symptoms faced barriers to accessing those medications. A pandemic has interrupted global pharmaceutical supply chains for controlled medicines used by both intensive care and palliative care providers, exacerbating preexisting global inequities. We urge member states to coordinate with the competent authorities to ensure availability per their commitments under the drug control conventions as palliative care practitioners with experience and knowledge about the situation in countries with low and inadequate access to internationally controlled essential medicines. We, together with our global partners, request CND member states to work with civil society, academia, appropriate regional and national competent authorities to take the following four steps. First, to identify and encourage manufacturers to produce cost effective generics. Second, work with the international financial institutions and development banks to set up regional or global pooled procurement of controlled medicines and financing mechanisms. Pan American Health Organization’s strategic Fund, the pharmaceutical procurement service in the organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and UNICEF can help to resupply and build buffer stocks as the markets will take advantage of increased demand being right embrace crisis. Third, work with INCB to increase regional and global buffers and use simplified control procedures for the export transportation and provisions of internationally controlled medicines. Fourth, coordinate with humanitarian agencies and competent authorities to ensure that medicines reach populations living in crisis situations.

The COVID19 burden of health related suffering only underscores Member States’ obligations to take a balanced approach to the regulation of international controlled substances to develop appropriate policies in partnership with clinical associations and ensure the availability of essential medicines for primary intensive and palliative care. We are standing by to collaborate with CND member states and UNODC. We thank you.

Bolivia: Our government is committed to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals recalling that we have a decade of action for their implementation before us. And against this backdrop, one of the greatest problems that we face is the issue of fight against drugs in full respect for human rights. And the same thing we underscore the need to put an end to poverty to protect those who are the most vulnerable. In terms of illicit drugs problem and its market. This is an ongoing concern. Actually, actions undertaken to exercise drug control have further exacerbated poverty, the marginalisation of millions without addressing the structural underlying causes of the drugs problem. Equally, Bolivia is committed to forging global alliances to strengthen north south cooperation, as well as south cooperation in order to curb and tackle the world drugs problem. This partnership this alliance must be carried out with full respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states – Free from interference in domestic affairs. Chairman, Bolivia addresses the fight against drugs as an integrated matter through an integrated approach upholding human rights and promoting better living conditions. We equally welcome the report of the world’s drug report, where our country has made significant progress in working towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals as part of our anti-drugs policy, combating poverty, hunger, among coca leaf growers, in particular in the […] region, to combat illiteracy, which has fallen by some 13 point 7001 2016, providing access to water and sanitation which has increased by 40% between 2001 and 2012 and 90% among the indigenous communities who now have access to sanitation services. Chairman, we are facing a paradigmatic shift, and a great deal must still be done. However, we reiterate the need to implement anti-drugs policies that are more focused on individuals on the human being based on solidarity, and which respect the planet and which focus on achieving prosperity for all. That is to say that this is in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals which are fundamental as part of our struggle against poverty, and equally fundamental when combating hunger. Thank you very much chair.

Chair: I thank the delegation of Bolivia for the statement under this agenda item. And with this, we complete the consideration of agenda item nine and we move to agenda item 10, which is provisional agenda for the 64th session of the Commission. And here under this agenda item, I will be sharing some important information with you regarding the 64th session of the CND. The first item is dates of the 64th regular session format and organizational arrangements. The extended bureau on 10th November, recommended the following dates for the 64th session of the CND: 12th to 16th of April 2020 & reconvened session from 9  to 10 December 2021. Are there any comments on these dates? Approved.

As far as the logistical arrangements of the 64th session are concerned, it is difficult to predict at this stage, how the COVID-19 situation will evolve next year and in the coming months. Thus, the extended bureau will continue discussing the issue based on further developments with regard to COVID-19 situation in the coming months and take its decisions accordingly. Deadline for the next sub item is deadline for the submission of draft resolutions and format of the report. Pursuant to commission the CN 55/1, the deadline for the submission of draft resolutions to be considered at the 64th session of the CMD would be one month prior to the commencement of the session. That is Monday 15th March 2021 known I repeat the deadline for submission of draft resolutions for the 64 seven CMD regular session is Monday 15 March 2021 noon. Next item is the ceremonial segment in 2021. We will be celebrating the anniversaries of the single convention of narcotic drugs of 1961 – 60 years, celebrations and the Convention on psychotropic substances of 1971 – 50 years celebration. To commemorate these anniversaries the extended bureau during the meeting on 10 November, agreed with my proposal to hold a ceremonial segment at the occasion of the 64th regular session in cooperation with WHO, INCB and the executive director of the UNODC. Are there any comments? I see no comments and observations. It is so decided. The next item sub item is agenda for the 64th session. As you will recall the Economic and Social Council in its decision 2020/214 approved the provisional agenda for the 64th session of the CND. Are there any comments on the provisional agenda for the 64th session of the commission?

Switzerland: We would like to reiterate its appeal launched during the main session of the CND this year. Namely, we would prefer a separate agenda item on the implementation of the UN joint position on drug policy. In March, we requested that the task force headed by the UNODC to report to this end on work carried out and the process established for the implementation of the UN common position.

We would reiterate our request today, given the discussion on the provisional agenda of the forthcoming CND the UN common position is a demonstration of the desire of UN organizations to engage in a consistent and unified manner to share policy in the area of drugs. It’s important that Member States be informed as to progress in implementation and the work of the task team added by UNODC. Furthermore, […] engagement is a way of implementing the sustainable development goals of the 2030 agenda. While the agenda was presented as provisional, we were informed by the Secretariat that we expressed our request too late in March 2020. Given the CND resume concessions are short, we have decided to not reopen the debate on the agenda today. We are seeking to leave time for other topics. We would though like to request today that the following be mentioned in the record number one, we propose that the agenda of the 16th in CND include a separate agenda item on the implementation of UN common position on drug policy and the work of the task team. Second,

we also propose that Member States be kept informed during the 64th CND of the work on course of the task team under item seven of the agenda. Thank you.

Russia: This year, we faced an unprecedented situation created by the covid 19 pandemic. The UNODC in the INCB identified new trends in organised narcotics gangs, they have quickly adapted their criminal business. Given the closing of borders, there are new routes and methods being used for drug trafficking. Drug traffickers are using the dark net, the pandemic has changed the drug use structure. Many have experienced difficulties with ensuring accessibility of scheduled substances for medical purposes, there’s been an unprecedented burden on health care networks. This in turn, has influenced countries abilities to tackle drug related issues. All of this requires comprehensive and multifaceted reflection on the CND for an all-encompassing response to challenges brought about by the pandemic, in resolving the global drugs issue. The way we see it, the 64th CMD session, which has to take place just a year after the WHO declared the beginning of the corona pandemic, is a good time for us to undertake this discussion. This also goes along the lines of the meetings of CND subsidiary bodies that were entirely dedicated to the COVID-19 issue. We think that this topic should be emphasized during forthcoming events. We think that it should be focused on during the general discussions at the beginning of the session. The results of this discussion could lead to the CND adopting a consensus based joint statement or declaration on the main aspects of the impact of the pandemic on the global drug situation and recommendations to develop international counter drugs cooperation. Given lessons learned, this document could also be a contribution of the CND made to the ECOSOC session, and the high level political forum on sustainable development for 2021. Main topic of these events is sustainable and solid rebuilding after the covid 19 pandemic. Russia intends to engage in active and inclusive work on the CND on this matter and invites other member states to consider this proposal. When it comes to Switzerland’s proposals as to making it a separate agenda item when we consider the UN common position on drugs policy. We’d like to confirm our position on the document – as drafted by the UN Secretariat, without a mandate from member states for that reason Russia is unable to support the proposals made by Switzerland. Thank you, Chairman.

Chair: Statements have been noted, and would be further discussed as we move on in our. I have now the honor to give floor to the next delegation, which is Netherlands.

Nigeria: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. And I also want to thank the distinguished delegation of Russia, particularly for the last point made in opposing the proposal by the Swiss delegation to have a separate agenda item on the UN common position. This delegation believes that the current proposed agenda was pulled out of intensive negotiations among member states. And then you look at that provisional agenda, we’ll see that it is very elegant, short and concise, but it is comprehensive enough to address all issues that could be taken on the sub items, including the aspect that been proposed by Switzerland. One of the items on interagency collaboration on coordination is quite appropriate to have a discussion on the common position. My delegation thinks that the element of data collection is so important that he should be given a specific agenda item. So my delegation will present that proposal. Thank you very much.

Mexico: We  express our support for the Swiss proposal that the United Nations common position on drugs receive all due attention at merits from this commission. It’s important to highlight that one of this Commission’s mandates is indeed guaranteeing coherence and consistency in the response of the international community to each and every one of the challenges and aspects posed by the world drug problem. And all we would be doing, would be fulfilling our mandate at the 64th session of the CND. We believe this would be appropriate given that the provisional agenda will be subject to review by the Bureau of the 64th Commission prior to the launching of that session, and therefore that would be an appropriate time for such review. In any case, we wish to express our support, as I said earlier, for the Swiss suggestion that the common position paper received all due attention by this commission. Thank you Chair.

Portugal: We would like to underline that, due to time constraints, we will not repeat the arguments that Switzerland and Mexico made, but we would like to support this statement. The current system common position serves the coherence and consistency and efficient use of resources across the system.

Canada: Thank you, Mr. Chair for giving me the floor candidates who would like to express its support for the Swiss proposal. And given that the ECOSOC decision in our understanding is for CND 64, we believe the debate on this or having this discussion is relevant whether or not the 64th agenda has been agreed on. This is an extremely important initiative towards interagency coordination, and the overall coherence and effectiveness of our collective efforts to counter the world drug problem. And whether it came from the Secretariat or from the member state should not be the deciding factor for whether to consider it, it should be whether it has merit, and whether it will have an impact which we kind of believes it does. And for that reason, we support its explicit consideration within an agenda and one of our upcoming regular sessions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Kenya: I will not try to elongate this debate, I take the floor simply to support the remarks that you have made is that we are comfortable to go along with the agenda that has already been adopted. And any other variations to this agenda item could probably be taken up in the context of the new Bureau in the coming accession of the commission Thank you, Chair.

Pakistan: Mr. Chair, I just wanted to very briefly to express our support to your understanding about the agenda. And at this stage because it is I think, complicating the meeting proceedings if we discuss any changes in item, so we fully support your understanding. Thank you.

Algeria: I’ll be very brief in order to simply support what was previously said, by you, Chair and by other delegations like Nigeria, Kenya. You correctly stated as did the distinguished delegate of Nigeria, that we need to strictly uphold and abide by our agenda, which was duly adopted by ECOSOC.

Chair: Thank you. So we can move forward. We conclude this sub item on our agenda for the 64th session, which is already endorsed by the ECOSOC, that will be the agenda for the 64 CND. And we go agenda item 11 – We have now reached our last substantive agenda item, and this is entitled other business. Is there any delegation that would like to raise any issue under this agenda item? If not, we go to agenda item 12 which is adoption of the report of the Commission on its reconvened 63rd session, in accordance with the past practice. The finalisation of those parts of the report on matters that we have discussed this morning will be compiled and finalised by me as chair with the assistance of the rapporteur. Since there are no comments, we move forward. And let us now turn our attention to the draft report. Before we proceed with the adoption, I would request delegations to abstain from taking the floor if there are comments related to editorial or translation matters. And to provide those comments in writing to the Secretariat for addressing such mistakes or errors. May I now invite the commission to turn its attention to document containing the part of the report on organisation of the session and interested in matters. Are there any comments?

Belgium: Under Item seven of this agenda, we’d like to add at the end […]

Chair: I now invite the commission to turn its attention to document containing the part of the report on the implementation of the international drug control treaties. Are there any comments? So I will move forward and ask the members of the commission to adopt this part of the report. Thank you very much for your concurrence. It is so decided. May I now invite the commission to turn its attention to documentaries that contain the chapter on strategic management, budgetary and administrative questions. Are there any comments? I don’t see any comments. Therefore, I invite the commission to adopt this part of the report. The report is thus this part of the report is this adopted.

As mentioned earlier, the final report will be compiled and finalised by me as chair with the assistance of the rapporteur. Furthermore, in accordance with advice received from the Secretariat of the Economic and Social Council, and in line with the past practice, the commission will transmit a draft decision to bring the report on its reconvened session to the attention of the Council. This is an established procedure. Are there any comments or observations? I see none. So it is decided. Now we move to the next sub item on our agenda, which is closure of the 63rd session of the Commission, distinguished delegates. We have concluded the programme about of the 63rd session. I’ll take only few minutes to share some of my personal thoughts with you in this regard. First of all, I am deeply honoured for this opportunity during the year 2020 to chair the CND, which is an important un body and important commission subsidiary body of the ECOSOC, and the UN system. I assumed chair in December 2019, around the same time, and in December, and as we moved forward in steering the agenda of the Commission in pursuance in engagement with all the members of the Commission and the members of the United Nations. It faced many challenges in our work, but I would like to underline two key challenges. One was the COVID-19. Without its its pandemic outbreak, it affected and continues to affect human life in many possible ways. It affects the health system of all countries and the global health system, and it continues to affect the economies. As we move forward, we learned that we need to make adjustments as to how we should be taking forward, the work of the employer has been taken forward our work in important areas, while at the same time taking care of health systems. The second challenge, which I want to mention here is happened at a personal level, where in September, I was told by my government that my absence from Vienna would create some difficulties in taking the important work of the CND. I tried to overcome this challenge, with best of my effort with the support of member states, not only of the Commission, but also generally UN membership, and with the help of the Secretariat. I want to thank all of you for that. I want to thank all the member states of the Commission, I want to thank all the UN member states, I want to thank extended bureau of the 63rd CND, which was always there to help me if there were any issues relating to me for not taking care of some preparatory work. And there were vice chairs who were ready to step forward in place of me. I want to thank the regional groups, first of all, the Asia Pacific group for entrusting me with this responsibility and bringing their faith in me and I hope that I have tried and continuing with their support during the entire year. And I hope that I have been able to keep their trust. Then I want to mention other regional groups – all of them were in constant touch with me and I am grateful today for the important contributions all of them have may have made for steering the work of the CND. I’m grateful to the chair of the G 77 and membership of the G 77 for giving support to me, I am grateful to the European Union, who have been closely engaged with me and have made important suggestions and proposals on various issues. I am grateful to the likeminded group where again, Pakistan is part of the likeminded group for enabling me for making some very constructive suggestions for moving forward on some of the key areas and there are other groups – I may not be able to mention them, but all of them were really supportive. So I want to thank all of you for that. And last but not least, Secretariat and UNODC, I want to thank this team who have been always available for providing me help. I am grateful to the technical staff, interpreters for their challenging work, and staff in all other categories who have been instrumental in taking the work of the 63rd CND. My final remark is, and this remark has been made by many delegations, in their statements even today, that we are living in an interdependent world, it is an interconnected and globalised world. Therefore, the complexity of the challenges we face has also continued to increase. And it is important to deal with these formidable challenges that we should have faith in multilateralism – for that purpose, un is at the center of this multilateral framework. Member States have a responsibility that while steering the work of these important organisations, we continue to follow the Charter of the United Nations and the respective rules of procedures of the these important argument organisations. So with these personal remarks, and my gratitude to all of you, I’d like to think I would like to move forward. I would like to particularly thanks, thank the member states and colleagues in dealing with the complex issues which came across like who recommendations on scheduling or rescheduling of cannabis and cannabis related substance. I’m pleased that we were able to conclude this difficult and sensitive issue during the 63rd CND and I would like to open the floor, if anyone wants to make any remarks at this stage, so that we can formally move towards handing over the reins of the chairpersonship of the 64th CND to my successor.

Countries expressing gratitude and well wishes for the outgoing chair: Nigeria, Russia, Kenya, China,

Chair: With this, I declare the 63rd session of the commission closed and we move to the opening of the 64th session of the commission and election of officers. I have the pleasure to open the 64th session of the Commission on narcotic drugs for the sole purpose of electing its chairperson and bureau of the session. As you may recall, the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 99/30 decided that with effect in the year 2000, the Commission should elect at the end of its session, a Bureau for the forthcoming session to encourage it to play an active role in the preparations of its session in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1999/30 and rule 15 of the Rules of Procedure of the Council. The Commission must now elect a chairperson, three Vice Chair persons and rapporteur for its 64th session of the CND. As you are aware in view of the established practice of rotating the offices on the basis of regional distribution, the officers to be elected are to be nominated from among the members of the Commission belonging to the various regional groups. The Eastern European states have proposed the nomination of Her Excellency ambassador of Poland for the position of chairperson of the 64th session of the Commission. She was with us in the Bureau of the 63rd session as First Vice Chair. If there are no objections I propose that the Commission elects Ambassador Dominica Christ as chair of the 64th session of the commission by exclamation. It is so decided. And I know invite you Ambassador to take the floor to conclude the election of other offices of the Bureau. And from me, if I express my best wishes for all of you.

Chair: Good morning, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in me for electing me as a chair of the next 64th session. Ambassador, Mansoor Khan has already left but I want to start with thanking on behalf of my country, but also on behalf of I suppose the wider UN membership for steering. I hope you will succeed, and we wish you best of luck in your next endeavors. Colleagues, in accordance with rules 15 and 16 of the rules of procedures of the functional Commissions of ECOSOC, we shall now proceed with the election of the other members of the role following consultations with the regional groups and in view of the rotation of officers based on regional distribution. The following officers have been nominated for the position of the vice chairs and the rapporteur: vice chair: no nomination has been received from Europe; second Vice Chair: His Excellency Permanent Representative of Colombia; first Vice Chair: Ambassador designate of Nigeria;  rapporteur: no nomination from the group of Asian and Pacific states. That brings us to the moment where I would like to ask the chairs of the groups whose nominations are still pending, if they are in a position to put the nominee to put all nominations in place.

Australia: Please let me Firstly, congratulate you on your appointment. we very much look forward to working with you and please rest assured you have the full support of the Australian delegation. As chair of the Western European and other states group, we are continuing consultations on the nomination for the position of First Vice Chair, we hope to conclude this soon and we will advise the extension bureau of the outcome as soon as possible. Thank you.

Chair: Thank you. So I see that so far, we do not have candidates for the position of the first vice chair and the rapporteur. So I will invite colleagues from those groups to continue consultations among the members and provide the Secretariat this soon as possible with the nominations and election will happen at the opening of the regular 64th session in April 2021 as no other meetings in between are foreseen. May I now then propose that the Commission elects this slate of officers by acclamation. It is decided.

I much count on your support in what’s going to be a busy and challenging period ahead. I would like to remind the commission that in accordance with established practice and Economic and Social Council resolutions, a group composed of the chairs of the five regional groups, the chair of the Group of Seven, seven plus China, and the representative of the European Union will assist the chair in dealing with organisational matters. That group, together with the elected officers will constitute the extended bureau. We have now concluded the election and I think that was the sole purpose of our meeting. We will meet again in April 2021 for the regular 64th session of the commission and I rest at your disposal for any questions. I thank you very much and the session is adjourned.