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Doha – The 68th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna adopted on Friday a groundbreaking resolution on the environmental impact of illicit drug-related activities.
The first-of-its-kind resolution, titled “Combating the Impact of Illicit Drug-Related Activities on the Environment,” represents a collaborative effort between Morocco, France, and Brazil.
“This resolution encourages member states to incorporate environmental protection into their drug policies and to develop and implement international strategies to address the environmental impact of illicit drug-related activities,” said Azzeddine Farhane, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna.
The resolution builds upon the 2019 ministerial declaration and the 2024 mid-term review, which acknowledged the need to combat both root causes and harmful effects of illicit drug activities on the environment.
It also draws from the outcome document of the 30th special session of the General Assembly in 2016, where member states reaffirmed “the importance of environmental protection in the context of combating illicit drug plant cultivation and other drug-related activities.”
The initiative has received support from multiple countries and will continue through 2029, when the Commission will review progress on international drug policy commitments.
Read also: UN Adopts Morocco’s Resolution on Sustainable Tourism and Poverty Eradication
The resolution takes into account recent research by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), particularly findings from the 2022, 2023, and 2024 World Drug Reports on direct and indirect environmental impacts.
Morocco’s holistic anti-drug strategy has yielded remarkable results. Moroccan security services seized 1,777 tons of cannabis resin, 1,222 tons of cannabis herb, 6.48 tons of cocaine, 38 kg of heroin, and 8,053,904 psychotropic tablets between 2020 and 2024.
“Morocco has made cooperation a key lever in its drug trafficking strategy,” Farhane said at the session, which ran from March 10-14.
“This cooperation translates into intelligence sharing, operational cooperation, and expertise sharing with African countries, particularly Sahel countries, in border surveillance, strategic intelligence exchange, and law enforcement capacity building,” he added.
The country recently adopted a new National Plan for Prevention and Management of Addictive Disorders 2024-2030, aiming to reduce addiction-related mortality and morbidity while ensuring universal access to prevention and quality treatment.
“We must, more than ever, redouble efforts and renew international consensus to present a united front against pressing threats through strengthened sub-regional, regional, and international cooperation,” Farhane asserted, noting the growing concerns about synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances.
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs serves as a UN decision-making body directing international action on drugs and crime, functioning under the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and governing the UNODC.
Its decisions and resolutions provide guidelines for member states and the UNODC.
