CND multiyear workplan 2024-2029

At its 67th session in March 2024 the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) adopted by consensus the “High-level declaration by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on the 2024 midterm review, following up to the Ministerial Declaration of 2019“.

Following the adoption of the 2024 High-Level Declaration Member States agreed on a new multiyear workplan to continue the thematic discussions on addressing the challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration.

Following the format for the thematic discussions held within the CND since 2016, the Commission will hold interactive meetings every year in the period up to 2029. The interactive meetings will aim to address the challenges identified in the „stock taking“ part of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration. Each year certain thematic areas will be addressed in three day meetings. As in previous years the VNGOC will hold open calls to select panelists and speakers for interventions from the floor for these thematic intersessionals. The call for applications for the 2024 thematic intersessionals can be found here (https://forms.office.com/e/mzFwdS24dt) and will remain open until 6 October 2024.

In addition to focusing on the challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration each thematic session will provide an opportunity to also address cross-cutting issues, including those identified in the “way forward” part of the 2024 CND High-Level Declaration. The thematic discussions will also provide an opportunity to report on the implementation of pledges made as part of the Pledge4Action Initiative at the 2024 high-level segment.

The following challenges will be addressed:

12-14 NOVEMBER 2024

a) Thematic discussions on challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration

• both the range of drugs and drugs markets are expanding and diversifying;
• the abuse, illicit cultivation and production and manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic
  substances, as well as the illicit trafficking in those substances and in precursors, have reached
  record levels, and that the illicit demand for and the domestic diversion of precursor chemicals
  are on the rise;
• synthetic opioids and the non-medical use of prescription drugs pose increasing risks to public
  health and safety, as well as scientific, legal and regulatory challenges, including with regard to
  the scheduling of substances;

b) Other substantive matters (For issues to be discussed under “Other substantive matters” the Secretariat will invite Member State delegations to submit topics at least six weeks prior to the session.)

2025 (3 days in total)

a) Thematic discussions on challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration

• drug treatment and health services continue to fall short of meeting needs and deaths related to
  drug use have increased; and
• the rate of transmission of HIV, the hepatitis C virus and other blood-borne diseases associated
  with drug use, including injecting drug use in some countries, remains high;
• the adverse health consequences of and risks associated with new psychoactive substances have
  reached alarming levels;
• the availability of internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes,
  including for the relief of pain and palliative care, remains low to non-existent in many parts of the
  world;

b) Other substantive matters (For issues to be discussed under “Other substantive matters” the Secretariat will invite Member State delegations to submit topics at least six weeks prior to the session.)

2026 (3 days in total)

a) Thematic discussions on challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration

• increasing links between drug trafficking, corruption and other forms of organized crime, including
  trafficking in persons, trafficking in firearms, cybercrime and money-laundering and, in some
  cases, terrorism, including money-laundering in connection with the financing of terrorism, are
  observed;
• the value of confiscated proceeds of crime related to money-laundering arising from drug
  trafficking at the global level remains low;
• the criminal misuse of information and communications technologies for illicit drug-related
  activities is increasing;

b) Other substantive matters (For issues to be discussed under “Other substantive matters” the Secretariat will invite Member State delegations to submit topics at least six weeks prior to the session.)

2027 (3 days in total)

a) Thematic discussions on challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration

• that responses not in conformity with the three international drug control conventions and not in
  conformity with applicable international human rights obligations pose a challenge to the
  implementation of joint commitments based on the principle of common and shared
  responsibility;

b) Other substantive matters (For issues to be discussed under “Other substantive matters” the Secretariat will invite Member State delegations to submit topics at least six weeks prior to the session.)

2028 (6 days in total)

a) Thematic discussions on challenges identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration

• Comprehensive stock-taking, in the lead up to the 2024 mid-term review, of the progress made in
  implementing all international drug policy commitments as reaffirmed in the Ministerial
  Declaration.

b) Other substantive matters – Way Forward