Deadline for Applications: 24 November 2020 at 11.55 pm CET

The reconvened sixty-third session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) will be held from 2 to 4 December 2020 starting at 11 am and 3 pm at the Vienna International Centre, as well as via virtual platform. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions only members of the Commission may attend the meeting in person. 

In March 2020 the Commission agreed to vote on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) on cannabis and cannabis-related substances at its reconvened sixty-third session in December 2020. On 2 December 2020, the Commission therefore is expected to consider and vote on the WHO recommendations under agenda item 5 (a), entitled “Changes in the scope of control of substances”.

Furthermore, two joint meetings of the CCPCJ and the CND will be held on 03 December, and one separate meeting of CND will be held in the morning of 04 December. The annotated provisional agenda and proposed organization of work can be found on the CND website: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/session/63Reconvened_Session_2020/reconvened-session-63-of-the-commission-on-narcotic-drugs.html

As part of the discussions, up to 4 NGOs are invited to make statements under the agenda item of their choosing. As it is a formal meeting, NGOs will speak at the end of each agenda item. 
Each speaker will have 3 minutes to present their views in regard to the chosen agenda item. 
Selected speakers will be asked to send in their statements or videos (including. transcripts) no later than 30 November 2020. Simultaneous interpretation in all official United Nations languages will be provided.

In order to apply for a speaking slot, please fill out the google form by 24 NOVEMBER 2020 at 11:55 p.m. (CET, Vienna local time): https://bit.ly/32YMRie
The VNGOC will follow the guidelines established by the Civil Society Task Force (CSTF) in 2018: https://vngoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CSTF-Speaker-Selection-Guidelines-final-formatted.pdf

We apologise for the short deadline and hope that many of you will take the opportunity to apply for a speaking slot regardless. 

Attending the CND reconvened as an observer

All organisations in consultative status with ECOSOC are invited to send observers, in line with the established rules. 

In light of social distancing requirements as well as restrictions on in-person participation at the time of the meeting, the meeting will be held as a blended (virtual and limited in-person participation) meeting.

ECOSOC NGOs wishing to attend the meeting virtually (without making a statement) need to send an official letter to unodc-sgb@un.org signed by the head of the organization with the name and email address of the participant. The number of observer slots is limited due to the platform used, so it is likely that only 1-2 persons per organisation will be able to register as observers. 

However, the meeting will be webcast on the CND website: 
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/session/63Reconvened_Session_2020/reconvened-session-63-of-the-commission-on-narcotic-drugs.html

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