CND69: Meeting 9 – 13 March 2026
Economic and Social Council
Date: 13 March 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/asset/k13/k13jr39lmf
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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CND · Chair [40:19]:

Good morning, Excellencies, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen. We will now turn to consideration of agenda item 10, provisional agenda for the seventieth session of the Commission. The draft provisional agenda for the 70th session was considered by the Extended Bureau during its meeting of 27 February, 6 March, and 11 March 2026, and the Chairs of regional groups were requested to hold consultations with their memberships. Can I ask whether all members of the Commission are ready to adopt the draft proposal? as contained in E/CN.7/2026/L7. The United States, please, you have the floor.


United States of America [41:19]:

Thank you, and good morning, Mr. Chair. The United States objects to the title of item 9 in the provisional agenda of the seventieth session of the CND because As proposed, it refers to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As we have repeatedly noted, the United States has principled concerns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Instead of the 2030 Agenda, the United States supports focus, follow-up, and review on the core mandates of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. to ensure it is delivering on its mission to combat rapidly evolving, complex, and global crime-related threats to the security of our countries, communities, and citizens. We therefore would like to propose an amendment to the title of this agenda item to delete the phrase “including follow-up to and review” and – sorry. including follow-up to and review and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We believe this amendment would serve to reaffirm the Commission on Narcotic Drugs core mandates and priorities. We ask that our statement and position on this agenda item be reflected in official records of this meeting. I thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [42:49]:

Thank you, and it will be done so. The representative of the United States has made an amendment to the draft agenda. I kindly ask the Secretariat to project the oral amendment on the screen. In accordance with rule 64 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commission of Economic and Social Council, the Commission will first take a decision on the amendment made. May I take it that the Commission wishes to adopt the oral amendment submitted by the representative of the USA? Slovenia, please, you have the floor.


Slovenia · EU [43:51]:

Thank you, Chair, and good morning. Distinguished Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I'm taking the floor on behalf of Slovenia and all other 12 EU member states which are current members of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. We don't approve of the deletion of the 2030 agenda from the agenda and the work of the 70th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. As members of the Commission, we believe the Commission should remain committed to working with all partners to accelerate progress towards the SDGs through a comprehensive, balanced, and human rights-based approach to drug policy. This is a consistent position for Slovenia and the European Union. We stress that efforts to achieve the SDGs and efforts to effectively address the world drug situation are complementary and mutually reinforcing. We reiterate our strong commitment to the full, effective, and accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda, guided by its universality, indivisibility, and the integrated nature of the Sustainable Development Goals. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


CND · Chair [45:00]:

Thank you.

South Africa, please.


South Africa [45:05]:

Thank you, Chair, and good morning, colleagues. South Africa aligns itself with the statement made by Slovenia. We reject the amendment made by the USA and believe that the agenda item should remain as it has been for a long time. The CND has worked on this, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are a call for assisting developing countries to reach their development goals. Thank you.


CND · Chair [45:53]:

Thank you.

USA, please, you have the floor.


United States of America [45:58]:

Thank you, Chair. We would like to call a vote on our proposed amendment to the title of agenda item 9.


Speaker 9 [46:04]:

Thank you.


CND · Chair [46:09]:

Thank you.

A vote has been requested on the oral amendment. The Commission will now commence with the process of voting on the oral amendment to the draft agenda as contained in document L-7. In accordance with rule 61 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Let me remind the Commission that in accordance with rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commission of ECOSOC, a simple majority of the Commission members present and voting is required. According to the Rules of Procedure, “present and voting” means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members which abstain from voting are considered as not voting. I now call on the members of the Commission in favor of the amendment to raise their country signs and keep them raised till their country name is called out. Please.


CND · Secretary [47:26]:

Argentina and the United States.


CND · Chair [47:33]:

Thank you.

I now call only on the members of the Commission not in favour of the amendment by raising their signs, please.


CND · Secretary [47:44]:

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe. Mr. Honduras. Thank you.


CND · Chair [49:06]:

Thank you.

I now request all members of the Commission abstaining to indicate their abstention by raising their country signs, please.


CND · Secretary [49:18]:

India, Japan, Bolivia.


CND · Chair [50:28]:

Thank you, dear colleagues. So we have a total of 2 votes in favour, 44 votes against, and 3 abstentions. Therefore, I declare the Commission has decided to reject the amendment. Since the oral amendment submitted by the representative of USA has not been adopted, We shall proceed to take a decision on the provisional agenda as contained in E/CN.7/2026/L.7. Can I ask whether members of Commission are ready to adopt the draft proposal? I don't see any objection. It is so decided. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen, we will now consider agenda item 11, other business. No other business has been brought to the attention of the extended Bureau or Secretariat. Does any delegation want to bring other matters to the attention of the Commission? Please. Mexico, please.


Mexico · Ambassador [52:10]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I can speak in Spanish, right? Okay, thank you. I was stuck with yesterday's idea, I'm sorry. Could you please leave this agenda item open for the end of the session, if that's possible, please?


CND · Chair [52:58]:

Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. I was advised by the Secretariat that the agenda item that we have just now opened can stay open. We will go to the consideration of agenda item 12, and we will come back to this issue before adoption of a report, if that is agreeable for you.


Mexico · Ambassador [53:20]:

Thank you very much, Chair.


CND · Chair [53:29]:

Thank you.

Excellencies, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen, we shall now turn our attention to agenda item 12, adoption of a report of the Commission on its sixty-ninth session. We will now proceed with the adoption of draft resolutions. Before doing so, I would like to thank Ambassador Peter Potman of Netherlands for having supported me by chairing the Committee as a whole. Ambassador, you have the floor.


Netherlands (Kingdom of the) · Ambassador; Chair of the Committee of the Whole [54:02]:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning, colleagues. The Committee of the Whole held six meetings between Monday and Thursday this week, in which we held extensive and intensive deliberations on a total of five draft resolutions. The atmosphere was constructive and collegial, with all delegations striving to improve the resolution texts under consideration in the Committee to achieve the best possible outcome of the session. While the Committee, unfortunately, did not find full agreement on all draft resolutions, I think it improved the content of all draft proposals and brought them very close to consensus. The Committee concluded its work on 12 March, 6 PM, and submitted five draft proposals to the plenary. E/CN7/2026/L2, unedited, revised version. E/CN7/2026/L3, rev. 1, unedited, revised. Then we have E/CN7/2026/L4, rev. 1. E/CN7/2026/L5, unedited, revised. And lastly, E/CN7/2026/L6, rev. 1, unedited, revised. So I'm reading it out so that all delegations can make sure they have the right piece of paper before them. These texts have been made available online on the Commission website. I would like to thank the sponsors and all contributing delegations for their hard work on these texts during the past week. And if you allow me, in particular, I would like to thank my coaches from the Secretariat, Mrs. Regina Rohrbach and Ms. Madina Aboubekir, for assisting me this week and guiding me through the maze. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


CND · Chair [56:12]:

Thank you, Ambassador, and your efforts have been highly appreciated. Before we proceed with adoption of resolutions, I would request delegations to abstain from taking the floor for comments on editorial or translation matters, and to provide those comments in writing directly to the Secretariat. The same would apply when we come to adoption of final report. Let me recall the process of co-sponsorship of draft resolutions. Member States who want to co-sponsor draft resolutions can still do so online on eDelegate until close of business on Monday, 16 March 2026, at the latest. In addition, Member States can raise their country plate during the adoption of resolutions. I kindly ask delegations who want to co-sponsor a resolution to be patient and only raise their flags when asked to do so. I would also like to recall that the representative of the Financial Resources Management Services of UNODC explained that there would only be statements of financial implications issued if there were implications on the regular budget. As the resolutions contained in documents L/2 to L/6 are subject to the availability of extra-budgetary resources, no oral statements on financial implications are needed. Hence, the adoption would not entail any additional budgetary implications on the regular budget. With this, distinguished colleagues, Excellencies, and according to the past practice, we will take up the resolutions in order which they have been tabled. I now call on the Secretary to introduce resolution L/2. Please.


CND · Secretary [58:13]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor. And as we had already heard from the chair of the Committee of the Whole, the Commission has for its consideration the following draft resolutions: the unedited revised version of L2, the unedited revised version of L3.

Ref.

1, then document L4 ref. 1, an unedited revised version of L5, and an unedited revised version of 6/Rev.1. All draft proposals were considered by the Committee of the Whole, but have not yet been, as we heard, formally approved by the Committee of the Whole. So the first document is contained in document L2, entitled Measures to implement Article 13 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 to prevent the diversion of equipment and related materials used for illicit production and manufacturing of drugs. and is sponsored by the plurinational state of Bolivia and Mexico.


CND · Chair [59:33]:

Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Can I now call upon the Commission to adopt resolution L/2? India, please, you have the floor.


India · Ambassador [1:00:02]:

Good afternoon, Chair. Thank you for giving me the floor. My delegation is constrained to call a vote on the proposed resolution contained in document L/2. Chair, esteemed colleagues, the said resolution, while seeking to introduce measures to implement article 13 of the 1988 Convention, unfortunately expands the interpretation of the issue into areas that we believe are unwarranted, unhelpful, and not fully in consonance with the objectives and mandate of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. This Commission, as indeed the 1988 Convention and other treaties and guiding documents, have proceeded on the basis of a balanced approach. A balance is sought to be obtained not just between the various approaches that we adopt and implement to address the world drug problem, but equally importantly, in the balance between the need to counter the production, manufacturing, and trafficking of illicit narcotics with the pressing and dire need to ensure that the licit production, manufacturing, and availability, accessibility, and affordability of chemicals and other substances for medical and health uses are guaranteed. Regrettably, the contents of the current resolution, while seeking to address the important issue of equipment and related materials, could, in our belief, potentially seriously impact the production, manufacturing, and supply of licit medical products, chemicals, and ancillary industries. in that it unnecessarily increases the cost of compliance without any well thought through and articulated benefits in addressing the issue of manufacturing of illicit narcotic drugs. Further, the draft resolution, in particular OP 4, and especially several sub-provisions of that article, go well beyond the mandate of this Commission as well as the INCB And in particular, I'd like to refer to some provisions that call for countries to make legislative changes that even include essential parts of manufacturing equipment. The INCB, while legitimately mandated to provide guidance and technical support to member states in addressing the misuse of equipment and materials related to the manufacture of illicit narcotics, in our view, does not have the mandate or the capacity to engage itself in actively and aggressively monitoring and controlling the trade in equipment necessary for the manufacturing of licit products for medical and non-medical uses. For these reasons, Mr. Chair, my delegation is unable to endorse the said resolution.


CND · Chair [1:03:19]:

Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. Can I ask you if you are limiting yourself to this statement, or you are asking for any procedural motion.


India · Ambassador [1:03:32]:

I would call for a vote on the resolution, Chair.


CND · Chair [1:03:35]:

Thank you.

A vote has been requested. Excuse me, Mexico, please, you have the floor.


Mexico · Ambassador [1:03:47]:

Thank you, Chair. I'd like to ask India that seeing, as you mentioned, OP 4, Mexico wouldn't mind the vote being on OP 4, and then depending on the result of the vote, we could continue with approval by consensus, but it's up to India. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:04:11]:

Please, India.


India · Ambassador [1:04:12]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank my esteemed colleague from Mexico for his flexibility. Unfortunately, we do believe that the overall drafting of this resolution, several provisions, in particular, egregiously, several parts of Article 4 are not acceptable to us. And I do believe that many delegations in the Commission have been in the CAW and otherwise very seriously articulating the need for us to ensure that efforts to address the fact that there is diversion of equipment for illicit manufacturing does not significantly impact the licit manufacturing. And I think this is an essential balance at the heart of all the conventions and the heart of this Commission, and therefore we would not be able to proceed with the vote on article 4 alone. I thank you.


CND · Chair [1:05:08]:

Thank you.

I see Mexico again. Please, Ambassador.


Mexico · Ambassador [1:05:13]:

I'm sorry that my colleague from India does not have many more objections than those expressed in OP 4. Out of respect by the work done by all delegations in a flexible, open and transparent way under the Committee of the Whole, Mexico would like to use article 50 of the Rules of Procedure and request the closure of the debate. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:06:32]:

Thank you, Ambassador. The representative of Mexico has moved within the terms of rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of the Economic and Social Council, the closure of debate on decision, excuse me, on resolution L/2. Rule 50 reads as follows: A representative may at any time move to the closure of a debate on the item under discussion, whether or not any other representative has signified his wish to speak. Permission to speak on the motion shall be accorded only to two representatives opposing the closure, after which one motion shall be put to vote immediately. If the motion is successful, the Commission would proceed immediately to consider any proposals before it. Let me remind the Commission that in accordance with rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commission of ECOSOC, a simple majority of the Commission members present and voting is required. According to the Rules of Procedure, present and voting means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members that abstain from voting are considered as not voting. The Commission will now proceed to vote on the motion to close the debate on L.2. I now call only on the members of the Commission in favour of the motion to close the debate to raise their country signs and keep them raised till their country name is called out. Please.


CND · Secretary [1:08:20]:

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Zimbabwe, and I think I had read out South Africa already, but thank you, Mr. Ambassador.


CND · Chair [1:09:23]:

Thank you.

I now request some members of the Commission abstain, excuse me, against to indicate about their decision by raising their country signs, please. I don't see any. I now request members of the Commission abstaining to indicate their abstention by raising their country signs.


CND · Secretary [1:09:57]:

Burkina Faso, Pakistan, Côte d'Ivoire, and Qatar. China, excuse me?


India · Ambassador [1:10:33]:

Mr. Chair, I have a clarification. I was under the impression that you're calling a vote on the motion by the Mexican delegate to close the debate and not on the resolution. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:11:08]:

There is a total of 43 votes in favour, zero votes against, and five abstentions. Therefore, I declare the Commission has decided to close the debate. Now we move back to the action on the proposal on resolution L2. Dear colleagues, a vote has been requested by India on draft proposal L.2. We will now proceed with the voting on L.2. I would propose that any statements made by members of the Commission in explanation of vote, as well as any general statements, will be made after voting. In accordance with Rule 61 of the Rules of Procedure of Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Let me remind the Commission that in accordance with Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of a Functional Commission of ECOSOC, a simple majority of Commission members present and voting is required. According to the rules of procedure, present and voting means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members that abstain from voting are considered as not voting. I now call only members of the Commission in favor of adoption of proposal contained in L2 to raise their country signs and keep them raised till their country name is called out, please.


CND · Secretary [1:13:09]:

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:14:10]:

Thank you.

I now call only the members of the Commission not in favor of the proposal by raising their signs.


CND · Secretary [1:14:19]:

India.


CND · Chair [1:14:23]:

I now request the members of the Commission abstaining to indicate their abstention by raising their country signs.


CND · Secretary [1:14:31]:

Burkina Faso, China, and Qatar. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:15:27]:

Ladies and gentlemen, there is a total of 45 votes in favor, one vote against, and three abstentions. Therefore, I declare the Commission has decided to adopt resolution L/2. Does a member of a commission wish to make a statement in explanation of vote after the vote, or any delegation wish to make a general statement? Mexico, please, you have the floor.


Mexico · Ambassador [1:16:12]:

Thank you, Chair. Good morning to you and to everyone. I'm taking the floor as a sponsor of L2. It's a time to celebrate, not for Mexico, not for me, but for CND, and it will continue to be so. Unfortunately, I have to talk about three falsehoods that we've just heard. Since 1946, the CND has the mandate to deal with all questions relating to drugs, and it has the mandate to oversee the functioning and implementation of the drugs conventions. Of course, it has the mandate to tackle the resolution we have just approved. The 1988 Convention and its article 24 states that States can take measures that go beyond what is explicitly established. Of course, it can adopt resolutions that go beyond what is explicitly established. The issue is in this case, this resolution does not even go beyond what is strictly established. OP 4 refers to cooperation with the INCB. programs and tools which exist and which we are using, each and every one of them, to say that technically that is incorrect. either as a whole or some of the sub paragraphs, is a falsehood and it is a lack of respect to the staff of INCB who worked with us throughout our negotiations to guarantee the technical correctness of that paragraph. The same is true for UNODC staff who did the same thing regarding the tools that exist and that we use regarding the paragraph on UNODC. As I said at the beginning, Unfortunately, I had to clarify these falsehoods. The important thing is to keep the right spirit, and that's why I took the floor to express our gratitude to Conor and the UNODC, Antonio Machitelli and the INCB team, and the conference services staff who were with us for the negotiations, and those delegations that were there throughout the formals who were involved in good faith, and especially those delegations who showed with their vote in favour this involvement that they showed to us as sponsors. I am grateful for that. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:19:03]:

Thank you.

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor? I don't see any. Does any of the delegations, are there any additional delegations wanting to co-sponsor? As explained earlier, you can do that by raising your name tags, please.


CND · Secretary [1:19:30]:

Finland, please. Finland. Japan. And I really apologize, it's very difficult to read the names. Norway, Albania, Portugal, and France. Colombia. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:20:03]:

Thank you.

Now let us move to the next resolution. I call on the Secretary to introduce resolution L3. Please.


CND · Secretary [1:20:16]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The text in front of the Commission is contained in document L3/rev1 and is entitled "Enhancing supply chain integrity to prevent the criminal exploitation of licit supply chains and shipping modalities for the illicit manufacture and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances." and is sponsored by Plurinational State of Bolivia and the United States of America. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:20:56]:

Now I call on the Commission to adopt resolution L3. I don't see any objections. Excuse me, China, please, you have the floor.


China [1:21:26]:

Chair, distinguished delegates, the Chinese delegation has different views with regard to the title and certain articles of this draft resolution. Even though we think countering narcotic drugs and combating the equipment are important, We believe this draft resolution has overstepped the contents of the Convention, and there are also some important potential misgivings on our side. The proposal does not stress the monitoring is to avoid the overflow of drugs, it will also impact on our control efforts. The Chinese delegation calls on all countries to consider carefully the potential effects of this draft resolution on the chemical industry and our efforts. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:22:58]:

Thank you.

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor? Are there any objections for the adoption of resolution L3? Please, China, you have the floor.


China [1:23:38]:

China believes that this draft resolution is not in conformity with what I had said previously.


CND · Chair [1:23:55]:

China, and can I ask you if this statement is enough to proceed with the adoption of this resolution?


China [1:24:02]:

Thank.

You. Yes, thank you.


CND · Chair [1:24:17]:

Are there any other requests for the floor?


China [1:24:25]:

China calls on to start the voting. China calls to vote on this draft resolution.

China, because China is afraid of the risk, lots of potential risk in some of the resolution. Actually, we do agree that it is very important to prevent the diversion of substances frequently used in illicit manufacture and also production of drugs, and also to prevent their diversion. And we do support all the efforts that have been done by the international community. And we have compromised again and again during our previous discussion about relevant resolution, and we have also achieved some consensus. However, we still have four para, and also including the title, we have some different opinion. For example, the controlled substances, especially for those that can use for pain relief, only referred to in the PP para rather than in OP para. There's nothing about to protect the legitimate interest and the licit trade in OP para. Moreover, in OP1, there's nothing has considered about that why the implementation has been taken, just like the booster transparency, et cetera, is aiming at preventing the diversion, which might brought lots of negative impact on legitimate trade and the legitimate interests of relevant stakeholders, especially for the global trade supply chain, including pharmaceutical and food production, which cannot be predicted. Also, it could be a kind of use of the multilateral used by several countries. Therefore, we call on all the Member States double think about some provisions in the resolution and be vigilant about the potential risk, and also consider about how to vote. Thank you very much. Then China want to call a vote.


CND · Chair [1:27:07]:

Thank you.

The vote has been requested on draft proposal L3/rev 1. We will now proceed with the voting of L3/rev 1. I would like to propose that any statements made by members of a commission in explanation of vote, as well as any general statements, will be made after voting. In accordance with rule 61 of the rules of procedure of a functional commission of ECOSOC, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Let me remind the Commission that in accordance with Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commission of ECOSOC, a simple majority of the Commission members present and voting is required. According to the Rules of Procedure, “present and voting” means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members that abstain from voting are considered as not voting. I now call only on the members of the Commission in favor of adoption of a proposal contained in L3/rev to raise their country signs and keep them raised until their country name is called out, please.


CND · Secretary [1:28:25]:

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:29:30]:

Thank you.

Now I call only on the members of the commission not in favor of the proposal by raising their signs.


CND · Secretary [1:29:41]:

China.


CND · Chair [1:29:45]:

Thank you.

Now I request the members of the commission abstaining to indicate their abstention by raising their country signs.


CND · Secretary [1:29:53]:

Burkina Faso, India, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, South Africa, Thailand. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:31:05]:

There is a total of 43 votes in favor, one vote against, and six abstentions. Wherefore I declare the Commission has decided to adopt L3/Rev. Does a member of the Commission wish to make a statement in explanation of vote, or any delegation wish to make a general statement? U.S., please, you have the floor.


United States of America [1:31:48]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. While we are deeply disappointed that China decided to call a vote and was the sole country on the Commission to vote no on what could have been an important opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to work with the international community to secure supply chains and prevent diversion of materials and equipment used to produce synthetic drugs, poisoning our communities around the world. The United States is pleased that today the Commission has nevertheless adopted a historic U.S.-sponsored resolution on enhancing supply chain integrity. For too long, we have allowed criminals to exploit our systems of commerce to move their poisons within and across borders. Today, we took a powerful step in changing that paradigm. But our efforts do not end with the words we put on paper. Enhancing supply chain integrity. will require all member states and private sector partners to implement the actions we have agreed to here, and the United States will remain committed to achieving the objectives of this resolution. We welcome partnership in that effort, and we look forward to working with others who are as intent as the United States in choking the supply of the poisons that are harming and killing our citizens. I thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [1:33:28]:

Thank you.

Next on my list is France. Please, you have the floor.


France [1:33:33]:

Thank you, Chair. My delegation voted in favor of this resolution because we acknowledge the importance of the integrity of logistics chains in combating drugs. We have taken note with satisfaction of taking into account our priority of the integrity and safety and security of our ports and airports, and that's included in the resolution. And I would like to express our disappointment concerning the absence of explicit language of the impact on drugs on the environment. We've heard about poisoning. I think there, too, there is a resolution adopted last year showed that the language of this year's resolution has gone back compared to the language in last year's 60/5 on the impact of drug-related activities on the environment. France will continue to be mobilized on that issue. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:34:48]:

Thank you.

India, please, you have the floor.


India · Ambassador [1:34:51]:

Thank you, Chair. India is deeply committed, not just in intent, but in its actions, to counter the illicit production and trafficking in narcotic drugs. And therefore, we are in principle strongly supportive of the intentions of the United States in introducing this resolution and in taking measures measures that are required to counter the illicit production and trafficking of narcotic drugs across the entire production process. However, in doing so, we deeply believe, as we did with resolution L.2, that we should be cognizant, even vigilant, that steps that are taken out of this Commission do not lead to undue and costly compliance requirements, and effectively over-regulate the licit production of substances for medical and health uses. As this Commission and its members and all other delegations here are aware, we are living through a very difficult phase for industrial production globally, and any regulations that seek to further burden commercial, licit commercial and industrial activity should be taken with due cognizance of its systemic impact. And because the current resolution and several clauses in that resolution, we feel, introduce a risk of over-regulating these sectors, my delegation was unable to endorse the resolution. I thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [1:36:38]:

Thank you.

Next on my list is China. Please, you have the floor.


China [1:36:46]:

Mr. Chair, delegates, my delegation has just now voted against L3. Here, we would like to state very briefly our position. We reiterate that the Chinese Government is dedicated to fighting drugs, we underline and take a lot of measures to prevent precursors, materials and equipment are diverted for illicit trafficking or manufacturing. We support the international community in its genuine efforts against drugs. We understand the main purpose for this proposal. And we also maintain the Vienna spirit of consensus. In the consultation process, we have made many compromises, and most of the contents have been agreed upon. Even after reviewing very carefully the parts which have not been agreed upon, based on the three major conventions, we should take consolidating measures to deal with the drug problem. We consider the international legitimate need for narcotic drugs. We voted, therefore, against this resolution. First, our vote is for maintaining the balance between combating drugs and management. The main purpose of CND is against drug, countering drugs, not, is against the supply chain of supply, as well as the precursor chemicals that will affect health and public safety. And we think the strengthening of supply chain should consider the share of information and monitoring. The present provisions have not provisions are ensuring the legitimate trade and the development of this industry, which will have a negative impact. The proponents rejected our proposal. to remove the negative impact on the legitimate views and the legitimate interests of the stakeholders, the resolution may have negative impact on the food and drug manufacturing industry and add burden to the industry. Thirdly, we opposed to the unclear, vague expression on the sharing of information and the monitoring mechanism. The text lacks clarity on the protection of commercial interests, commercial secrets, privacy, as well as to prevent the misuse of information, and there's lacking of guaranteeing, lacking the clauses of guarantee, this may have irreversible harm to the legitimate interests. It may even lead to the release of sensitive commercial secrets as well as creates barriers for legitimate trade. Lastly, we would like to stress our vote against the proposal is not a rejection to cooperation. We are calling for more high quality and more inclusive cooperation. We sincerely hope that member states will understand our concern. We would like to work with all parties on the basis of equality and mutual respect to deal, to counter the global drug problems in the joint manner. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


CND · Chair [1:41:46]:

Thank you.

Are there any other requests for the floor?


CND · Secretary [1:41:54]:

Russian Federation.


CND · Chair [1:41:56]:

Russia, please. Russian Federation, you have the floor.


Russian Federation [1:42:01]:

Thank you very much, Chairman. The Russian Federation has actively and constructively participated in the agreement of this resolution in informals and in the COW. Our country likes to see strict monitoring of substances and equipment often used for illicit production of drugs. Russia takes related measures nationally and actively cooperates with interested parties along these lines. It is regrettable that the outcome text of the resolution, which could have made an important contribution to strengthening regional and international efforts here, unfortunately went beyond the UNODC’s mandate and the provisions of the specialized conventions of 61, 71, and 88. We are particularly concerned by the fact that this draft stipulated strict monitoring measures could have a negative impact on the legal trade of material and substances, including for their use to produce vital medicines. We hope that Member States fully will take these concerns on board when they implement the Commission's draft resolution L3. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:43:33]:

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor at this stage? I don't see any. Are there any additional delegations wishing to cosponsor this resolution? You can do so by raising your country signs, please.


CND · Secretary [1:43:57]:

Ukraine, Israel, Italy, Japan, Albania, Lithuania, Hungary. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:44:31]:

Thank you very much.

And now we move to the next resolution. I call on the Secretary to introduce resolution L/4/Rev.1, please.


CND · Secretary [1:44:43]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Indeed, the next proposal before the Commission is contained in document L/4/Rev.1, entitled “Appendix to complement the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development.” and is sponsored by the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Cyprus, on behalf of the States members of the United Nations that are members of the European Union, Peru, Thailand, as well as Albania, China, and United Kingdom. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:45:19]:

Thank you.

Can I now call upon the Commission to adopt resolution L/4/Rev.1? USA, please, you have the floor.


United States of America [1:45:33]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Our delegation has tried to work with the sponsors to come to a moment where we could support the draft, but in its present form, unfortunately, we are not in a position to do so. So we would call a vote on the resolution. I thank you.


CND · Chair [1:45:57]:

Thank you.

A vote has been requested on draft proposal L4 rev 1. We will now proceed with the voting. I would propose that any statements made by members of the Commission in explanation of vote, as well as any general statements, will be made after the vote. In accordance with rule 61 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with actual process of voting. Let me remind the Commission that in accordance with rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, a simple majority of Commission members present and voting is required. According to the Rules of Procedure, present and voting means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members that abstain from voting are considered as not voting. I now call on the members of the Commission in favour of adoption of a proposal contained in L4-REV1 to raise their country signs and keep them raised till their country name is called out. Please.


CND · Secretary [1:47:19]:

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, China, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:48:20]:

Thank you.

I now call only on the members of the Commission not in favor of a proposal by raising their country signs.


CND · Secretary [1:48:30]:

Argentina and United States. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:48:36]:

Thank you.

I now request all members of the Commission abstaining to indicate their abstention by raising their country signs.


CND · Secretary [1:48:44]:

Burkina Faso, Qatar. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:49:36]:

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a total of 46 votes in favor, two votes against, and two abstentions. Wherefore, I declare the Commission has decided to adopt resolution L4/Rev.1.

Thank you.

Does a member of the Commission wish to make a statement in explanation of vote after a vote, or any delegation wish to make a general statement? Thailand, please, you have the floor.


Thailand [1:50:27]:

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Thailand has the honour to express its heartfelt appreciation to Germany and Peru for their excellent partnership. which reflects our shared belief that alternative development remains a vital approach to erasing the world drug problem in a balanced and comprehensive manner. We also thank the Secretariat for its support throughout the process. We are grateful for the constructive engagement and valuable contributions of Member States throughout the negotiation process. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all delegations that supported the adoption of the resolution, as well as more than 30 Member States that joined as co-sponsors. We also thank those delegations that were not in a position to support the resolution or that abstained, and we appreciate their engagement in the discussion. We believe that the adoption of this resolution represents an important step in further strengthening international cooperation on the alternative development and in supporting sustainable and inclusive development approaches for communities affected by the illicit cultivation of drug crops and other related illicit drug activities. Thailand believes that the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development and as complemented by the appendix, will meaningfully support our Member States, international connections, and other relevant stakeholders in promoting sustainable livelihoods and addressing the root cause of the world drug problem in a balanced and comprehensive manner. Mr. Chair, Thailand remains fully committed to working with all partners in the spirit of inclusiveness, mutual respect, and shared responsibility. as we move forward in implementing the United Nations Guiding Principle on Alternative Developments, as complemented by the appendix. Let us continue to work together to ensure that our collective efforts address the world drug problem while improving the life and livelihoods of the communities most affected. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


CND · Chair [1:52:57]:

Thank you.

US, please, you have the floor.


United States of America [1:53:01]:

Thank you, Chair. The United States recognizes Thailand, Peru, and Germany for their work on the resolution. Last year, at the 68th session of this conference, we called to vote and voted no on resolution 68/3, which directed experts to update the UN Guiding Principles on Alternative Development. We called to vote today as well and voted no on this resolution for several reasons. This resolution and the appendix entitled the “Complement to the UN Guiding Principles on Alternative Development” goes well beyond the scope of accepted alternative development, which should be directly linked to illicit crop cultivation. Furthermore, it was made clear that the appendix was not open for negotiation during the CND, nor will be at any time in the future. And finally, this resolution and its annexed appendix contain numerous controversial and objectionable references that have no place in a CND resolution, including climate change, gender, and sustainable development goals. The United States rejects these references. I thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [1:54:25]:

Thank you.

Germany, please, you have the floor.


Germany [1:54:29]:

Thank you, Chair. Germany warmly thanks the Kingdom of Thailand and Peru for our long-standing partnership and UNODC for its technical support. We highly value our continued leadership and commitment to alternative development. This resolution is the result of an inclusive, expert-driven process mandated by the CND Resolution 68/3. The sponsors have made a great effort to ensure ample participation of experts from all interested Member States in this process in order to ensure an evidence-based and transparent process. The 10th Expert Group Meeting on Alternative Development held in Lima Peru from 5 to 7 November 2025, therefore provided substantive recommendations that are now reflected in the annexed appendix. By adopting the resolution and its annexed appendix, the Commission complements and operationalizes the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development with practical, evidence-based guidance to address current, persistent, and evolving challenges linked to illicit drug economies, including climate change and environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, food security, territorial and place-based approaches, public security, displacement, the engagement and empowerment of indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The resolution furthermore reaffirms full respect for all human rights and the rule of law, and is aligned with sustainable development goals. Throughout the informal consultations and in the Committee of the Whole, we carefully listened to and accommodated diverse perspectives. The outcome is balanced, people-centered, development-oriented, and consistent with international law. With implementation now matters. In line with the resolution, we strongly encourage interested Member States to use the guiding principles as complemented by the appendix when designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating alternative development policies, strategies, and programs, and highly welcome the convening and an exclusive expert group meeting on alternative development in 2026 in Thailand to provide expert guidance for the implementation of the appendix. Germany stands ready to support our partners and UNODC in taking this work forward through policy dialogue, capacity development, and knowledge exchange, and by contributing to the follow-up foreseen in the resolution. We thank all delegations for their constructive engagement and reiterate our appreciation to the Kingdom of Thailand and Peru for their leadership and partnership. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


CND · Chair [1:57:30]:

Thank you.

Now I give the floor to Peru, please.


Peru [1:57:37]:

Good morning, Chair, and distinguished delegates. Today we are adopting a resolution which is not just about policies; it is about possibilities. For more than a decade, The Guiding Principles of the United Nations on Alternative Development marked a significant milestone in the response of the international community to the global drug problem, and they affirmed a fundamental belief that sustainable development, social inclusion, and human dignity should be at the center of efficient drug policies. That belief led to the promise of alternative development, the promise that communities that were historically affected by poverty, marginalization, and illicit drug economies could build sustainable, licit, and dignified futures. Today, Chair, as we adopt this resolution and its additional appendix on the guiding principles, we are ratifying that promise, and we are taking it into the future. The global context has evolved. Illicit drugs economies have become more complex and increasingly interconnected with environmental deterioration, lack of security, displacement, and persistent inequalities. As a response, our collective framework also has to change. The appendix we are adopting today is a reflection of that. We acknowledge that alternative development has to be long-term, inclusive, and sustainable. It has to provide feasible, licit economies for those communities that are at risk from becoming involved in illicit drug economies. The design and implementation of alternative development economies have to take into account the essential freedom and the inherent dignity of all people, therefore guaranteeing that responses to the world drug problem continue to be people-focused and especially in line with international law. The Appendix strengthens the territorial aspect, focused on people and based on rights, as it included integrated multi-sectoral initiatives adapted to the needs of different communities and regions. It also highlights the importance of the empowerment of women and girls, acknowledging women as key agents for change and community leadership. It also underlines the importance of the participation of local communities and indigenous peoples, appreciating the value of their knowledge and culture to provide sustainable and inclusive solutions. Your Excellencies, Alternative development is not a short-term intervention. It is a long-term investment in increasing resilience, stability and opportunities. It is a commitment to deal with structural weaknesses which have enabled the emergence and persistence of illicit economies. It is a commitment so that our response to the world drug problem is balanced, comprehensive, based on development, human rights, and joint and shared responsibility for the work of this very important commission. When we adopt this resolution, we are not just reinforcing existing principles, we are considering alternative development for the future too. I would like to conclude by sincerely thanking Thailand, Germany, and UNODC For that commitment and for the excellent work we have carried out together throughout the years, and I would like to thank the new members of the family of alternative development. As you can see, that family continues to grow and become consolidated within CND. Thank you very much, Chair.


CND · Chair [2:02:29]:

Argentina, please, you have the floor.


Argentina [2:02:35]:

Thank you, Chair. With regards to the resolution that has just been adopted by C and D, please allow me to express Argentina's position to one of the issues. Argentina would like to state that regarding the word gender, we understand gender to refer to masculine, male and female, and the term gender has no other meaning apart from that. Regarding the gender perspective, Argentina's commitment to women's rights is part of its domestic law and goes beyond international standards. However, understanding human rights should not be split by gender. We believe that sustainable development is a non-binding aspiration for States, and each State, in exercise of its sovereignty, can interpret that freely. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:03:37]:

Thank you.

Colombia, please.


Colombia [2:03:43]:

Thank you, Chair, distinguished delegates. Colombia welcomes the adoption of the resolution on alternative development. We consider this as an essential instrument to have more humane, sustainable and effective responses to the world drug problem. We would like to express our acknowledgement to Thailand, Germany and Peru. the countries who sponsored this initiative. We'd like to thank them for their leadership in Vienna, Lima, and Bangkok, and thank them for their balanced approach that puts rural communities at the center of it. For Colombia, alternative development is not a theory. It's a way to transform territories, change illicit economies, and provide real opportunities to families who have experienced drug trafficking and poverty for decades. Therefore, we appreciate that this resolution and its appendix reaffirm the importance of participation, evidence-based and comprehensive approaches, focusing on access to markets, value chains, and focusing on peasant farmers, women, young people, communities of African descent, to name but a few. We believe we will now be able to take on the complex phenomena. The aim And the message of this resolution is clear: Member States are reaffirming our commitment to effective, evidence-based multilateralism. and one of cooperation with specific results for communities. We will continue to work constructively with all States and the sponsors to progress towards alternative development, which will truly transform communities. And for all of those reasons, we would like to announce our co-sponsorship of this resolution. Thank you very much.


CND · Chair [2:05:54]:

Thank you.

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor? Russian Federation, please.


Russian Federation [2:06:07]:

Thank you very much, Chairman. Russia would like to thank the co-sponsors for presenting the draft resolution on this important topic. My country for many years has consistently supported the concept of alternative development so as to replace drug crops with agriculture and to provide farmers with legal sources of income. Russia was also a donor to related projects of the UNODC. Our concerns have to do with the procedure for the discussion of the approval of the annex. to this alternative development resolution, which, after approval today by the Commission, will then be put for ECOSOC's consideration and possibly adopted by the GA. We note that a number of our comments were taken on board by the proponents. However, during the current CND session, States were not provided with full opportunity to discuss the annex and to make necessary changes. Our view is that this global initiative is applicable to various regions having impacted by drug crops and their cultivation. We do, though, believe that success in implementation depends on the consensus of all states on the content of the annex. We call upon the proponents to ensure greater inclusivity and openness in discussion of the draft of said document in ECOSOC and on the General Assembly. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:07:49]:

Thank you.

European Union, please, you have the floor.


EU · EU [2:07:53]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to take the floor on behalf of the European Union and its member states. Let me start by congratulating the sponsors, Thailand, Germany, and Peru, for the adoption of the resolution entitled "Appendix to complement the UN Guiding Principles on Alternative Development" by the Commission today, which the EU has co-sponsored on behalf of these 27 member states. The European Union reiterates its full support and acknowledgement of the importance of people-centred, human rights-based and development-oriented drug policies in line with international law, including international human rights law. The European Union and its Member States have long been convinced about supporting alternative development. Last year, we already co-sponsored the resolution 68/3 entitled "Complementing the UN Guiding Principles on Alternative Development". And we would like to thank again for the pen holders for their leaderships and their long-standing commitment on such a critical issue. Aware of the current, persistent and evolving challenges of illicit drug economies, we believe it was necessary to complement the UN Guiding Principles on Alternative Development adopted in 2013. And in line with the European Union Council conclusion on alternative development, and according to CND resolutions, we believe that drug policies need to address new challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, food security, territorial approaches, public security, as well as the displacement of people and the empowerment of indigenous peoples, local communities, and all women and girls. Mr. Chair, the Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, remain essential to alternative development to ensure that development efforts are inclusive, fair, and promoting sustainable, equitable, social, and economic progress. We look forward to working together and with the UNODC in implementing the completed UN Guiding Principle on Alternative Development. Thank you very much.


CND · Chair [2:10:13]:

Thank you.

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor? I don't see any. Then we move to the next. Excuse me, yeah. Are there any additional delegations wanting to co-sponsor? You can do that by raising your country signs, please.


CND · Secretary [2:10:36]:

Switzerland, Portugal, Singapore, Uruguay, Nigeria, China, Colombia, Japan, Ukraine, Norway, Ireland, and can somebody read? Malaysia. Apologies, it's not easy to read it from the podium. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:11:14]:

Thank you.

Now we move to the consideration of the next resolution. I call on Secretary to introduce draft resolution L5. Please.


CND · Secretary [2:11:25]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Indeed, the next text proposal before the Commission is contained in L5 and has as title "Strengthening early warning mechanisms consisting of monitoring and assessment systems to enable effective responses to the emergence of new synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances and precursors, including pre-precursors and designer precursors. And it's sponsored by Burkina Faso, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


CND · Chair [2:12:03]:

Thank you.

Can I now call upon the Commission to adopt resolution L5? United States, please, you have the floor.


United States of America [2:12:17]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. While we thank the Kyrgyz delegation for bringing forward a resolution with very important goals, unfortunately, during the negotiations and to the present version of this, we have not seen our concerns reflected in the current draft, so we will have to call a vote.


CND · Chair [2:12:44]:

Thank you.

A vote has been requested on draft proposal L-5. We will now proceed with the voting. I would propose that any statements made by members of the Commission in explanation of vote, as well as any general statements, will be made available after voting. In accordance with Rule 61 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, no representative may interrupt the voting, except on a point of order in connection with actual process of voting. Let me remind the Commission that in accordance with Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commissions of ECOSOC, a simple majority of Commission members present and voting is required. According to the Rules of Procedure, present and voting means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members that abstain from voting are considered not voting. I now call only the members of the Commission in favour of adoption of the proposal contained in draft resolution L.5 to raise their country signs and keep them raised until their country name is called out. Please.


CND · Secretary [2:14:02]:

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Pakistan, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:15:05]:

Thank you.

I now call only other members of the commission not in favor of the proposal to raise their signs.


CND · Secretary [2:15:13]:

Argentina, United States. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:15:20]:

Thank you.

I now request the members of the commission abstaining to indicate their abstention by raising their country signs.


CND · Secretary [2:15:30]:

Bolivia, Qatar. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:16:21]:

Ladies and gentlemen, there is a total of 46 votes in favour, 2 votes against, and 2 abstentions. Therefore, I declare the Commission has decided to adopt proposal L-5. Does a member of the Commission wish to make a statement in explanation of vote after the vote, or any delegation wish to make a general statement? The United States, please, you have the floor.


United States of America [2:17:07]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The United States called a vote and voted against this resolution due to its improper reference to the World Health Organization. It is not appropriate for the CND to make reference to the World Health Organization in this context. The WHO has profoundly failed to appropriately respond to the health crises, has persistently refused to implement necessary reforms, and has not demonstrated transparency, accountability, and independence. Additionally, some paragraphs within this resolution inappropriately direct UNODC and other technical assistance providers to focus their efforts on certain ill-defined groups of countries, despite the cross-border nature of these threats. Additionally, the United States will continue to oppose sustainable development goals, which advance a program of soft global governance inconsistent with U.S. sovereignty and adverse to the rights and interests of Americans. Thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [2:18:19]:

Thank you.

Argentina, please, you have the floor.


Argentina [2:18:26]:

Thank you, Chair. Argentina would like to state that Agenda 21 is composed of legally non-binding aspirations which each State is free to interpret according to its own constitution and beliefs. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:18:48]:

Thank you.

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor?


CND · Secretary [2:18:56]:

Russian Federation.


CND · Chair [2:18:58]:

Russian Federation, please.


Russian Federation [2:19:05]:

Thank you very much, Chairman. The Russian Federation expresses its deep gratitude to the Kyrgyz Republic for the presentation for consideration of the CMD, a resolution on such an important and relevant topic as the crafting of an early warning mechanism. regarding the appearance of new dangerous substances. The draft, on the basis of solely practical guidelines, proposes specific measures to develop and strengthen certain mechanisms nationally and regionally, and also to bring international organizations with related mandates under specialized conventions to engage in this work. This includes the UNODC, as well as the INCB. and the WHO. Our country, as with our neighbors, is encountering hitherto unseen rise in the production and trafficking of chemical substances as well as precursors. We are sure that the adoption The early adoption of this initiative by a majority and broad support amongst Member States as co-sponsors will make an important contribution to deterrence of this important threat, as well as to save the lives of our citizens. We are ready to engage in close cooperation with our neighbors from the Kyrgyz Republic and other interested countries on this matter. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:20:34]:

Thank you.

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor? I see Kyrgyzstan, please.


Kyrgyzstan [2:20:43]:

Thank you, Chair. Distinguished delegates, the Kyrgyz Republic remains firmly committed to a balanced, comprehensive, and preventive approach to addressing the evolving challenges posed by new synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances, precursors, including prep precursors and design precursors. In this context, timely identification of emerging trends and coordinated responses at the global level have become more important than ever. For these reasons, the resolution focuses on strengthening early warning mechanisms, consisting of monitoring and assessment system, that enable effective responses to the emergence of new synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances. We view early warning mechanisms not as on-time measures, but as continuous and integrated processes combining data collection, scientific assessment, and informed policy-making. Resolution is technical and preventive in nature and promote a flexible and systematic approach that take in account difference and national capacities among Member States. Particular emphasis is also placed on institutional coordination. Our goal is to ensure coherence among Member States, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Health Organization, and the International Narcotics Control Board, while fully respecting their existing mandates. In broader times, this initiative reflects the understanding that modern drug policy must be not only reactive, but also proactive. In the context of the rapidly evolving synthetic drugs market, early identification, scientific assessment, and timely information sharing are essential elements for protecting public health and ensuring safety worldwide. On behalf of the Kyrgyz Republic, I would like also to express our sincere appreciation to all delegations for their constructive engagement over the consultations of this draft resolution. Thank you very much.


CND · Chair [2:23:07]:

Thank you.

Any other requests for the floor? I don't see any. Then are there any delegations wishing to co-sponsor this resolution? Please.


CND · Secretary [2:23:24]:

Chile, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Honduras, China, Colombia, Japan, Pakistan, Spain, Belgium, Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, Albania, Ireland, and Egypt. Thank you. And New Zealand. Yeah. New Zealand, Islamic Republic of Iran, Russian Federation. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:24:14]:

Thank you.

Now we move to the next resolution, and I call on Secretary to introduce draft resolution L6 rev 1.


CND · Secretary [2:24:25]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The last proposal in front of the Commission is contained in document L6 rev 1, entitled "Promoting integrated and coherent systems of scientific evidence-based drug-related public health responses." and is sponsored by Albania, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Finland, Lebanon, Morocco, and Norway. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:24:54]:

Thank you.

Can I now call upon the Commission to adopt L6/Rev 1? The United States, please, you have the floor.


United States of America [2:25:11]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Unfortunately, we're not in a position to agree, and we call a vote on the resolution.


CND · Chair [2:25:22]:

Thank you.

A vote has been requested on draft proposal L6 rev 1. We will now proceed with voting. I would propose that any statements made by members of the Commission in explanation of vote, as well as any general statements, will be made after voting. In accordance with rule 61 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commission of ECOSOC, no representative may interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual process of voting. Let me remind the Commission that in accordance with rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Functional Commission of ECOSOC, a simple majority of the Commission members present and voting is required. According to the Rules of Procedure, present and voting means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members that abstain from voting are considered as not voting. I now call only on the members of the Commission in favour of adoption of a proposal contained in L-6 rev 1 to raise their country signs and keep them raised till their country name is called out. Please.


CND · Secretary [2:26:38]:

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, and South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Excuse me. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:27:37]:

Thank you.

I now call only on the members of the commission not in favor of a proposal by raising their signs.


CND · Secretary [2:27:47]:

United States and Argentina.


CND · Chair [2:27:52]:

Thank you.

I now request the members of the commission abstaining to indicate their abstention by raising their country signs, please.


CND · Secretary [2:28:05]:

Burkina Faso. And Qatar, thank you.


CND · Chair [2:28:15]:

You should be able to see the result.


CND · Secretary [2:28:31]:

But you didn't have your paid up. Chile didn't have their paid up, so we.


Speaker 141 [2:28:45]:

Maybe they couldn't see it.


CND · Chair [2:28:46]:

Let's see. Could you please?


Chile [2:28:49]:

Just to point out that I would just like to say that Chile is voting in favour. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:28:59]:

Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is a total of 45 votes in favour, 2 votes against, and 2 abstentions. Therefore, I declare the Commission has decided to adopt proposal L6 rev 1. Does a member of Commission wish to make a statement in explanation of vote after the vote, or any delegation wish to make a general statement? Finland, please, you have the floor.


Finland [2:30:36]:

Mr. Chair, thank you. First of all, I would like to thank you, Mr. Chair, and the Chair of the Committee of the Whole for guidance and leadership during these last few days. The outcome would not have been possible without all the delegates committing their time and expertise to the negotiations for the best possible results. The debate was constructive, respectful, and aimed at our common goal. The negotiation process was done in partnership with our able Norwegian colleagues, as well as the experts over UNODC. Our greatest thanks go to Audun, Karolin, Torbjørn, and Ambassador Susan Eki from Norway, and Giovanna and Sanita from UNODC, and of course to Otto, my colleague next to me here. As we now celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UNGASS on drugs, we wanted to table a resolution on public health to remind us that drug policy should not be a competition between different actors or different drug policy measures. The different public health responses should not only support people's health and well-being, but also contribute to the safety and security of the communities. Mr. Chair, let me conclude by congratulating everyone upon the adoption of this important resolution. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:32:14]:

United States, please. You have the floor.


United States of America [2:32:18]:

Thank you, Chair. The United States called for a vote and voted against this resolution for several reasons. The United States reiterates that health-related policy must remain the sovereign responsibility of national governments, shaped by domestic priorities, national context, and the will of citizens, not imposed by international bureaucracies or multilateral mandates. In that regard, we oppose language in preambular paragraph 4, which falsely implies that measures aimed at preventing the negative consequences of drug use are synonymous with harm reduction. The United States implements a range of measures that can help to prevent the negative consequences of drug use focusing on interventions that promote long-term resilience and move people toward recovery. And these measures are not the same as the set of measures that are commonly referred to as harm reduction in some countries, which we understand to include interventions that contribute to the normalization of drug use. Additionally, the United States will continue to oppose the Sustainable Development Goals which advance a program of soft global governance inconsistent with U.S. sovereignty and adverse to the rights and interests of Americans. We also firmly support women’s access to drug use disorder treatment and other health-related services, but we must be clear and accurate in language that reflects the need to take into account the particular experiences and needs of women and girls. Finally, it is not appropriate for the CND to make reference to the World Health Organization in this context. The WHO has profoundly failed to appropriately respond to health crises, has persistently refused to implement necessary reforms, and has not demonstrated transparency, accountability, and independence. Thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [2:34:31]:

Thank you.

South Africa, please, you have the floor.


South Africa [2:34:36]:

Thank you, Chair. South Africa wishes to congratulate Norway and Finland for presenting this resolution. South Africa affirms that access to controlled medicines for medical and scientific purposes is a core obligation under the international drug control treaties. We remain concerned that developing countries continue to have the lowest levels of controlled medicines. As highlighted in the 2025 World Drug Report, systemic cost barriers remain a major driver of these disparities and must be addressed urgently. While stringent control measures are necessary to prevent diversion, South Africa remains concerned that they may unintentionally restrict access. We need a balanced approach to safeguard against misuse while ensuring that medicines required for legitimate medical purposes are available and accessible at affordable prices. South Africa maintains that when controlled substances are not affordable, the licit supply chain for medical and scientific use, including The relief of pain and suffering can be disrupted, creating gaps that can be exploited by criminals. Affordability complements accessibility and availability as three dimensions of a holistic framework for care and should not be treated interchangeably. Without affordability, availability becomes nominal and accessibility becomes exclusionary. While we regret that this critical element of affordability was not included in L2 and L3, we will work with the global community in addressing the world drug problem. With these words, we wish to co-sponsor L6.


CND · Chair [2:36:39]:

Thank you.

Norway, please, you have the floor.


Norway [2:36:44]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Allow me, first of all, to highlight why Finland and Norway decided to present this resolution. A comprehensive, evidence-based, balanced drug policy is most effectively achieved through a public health approach. Implementing the entire range of evidence-based drug-related public health responses in an integrated manner will not only result in better health outcomes, but also in diminished illicit markets and lower rates of violence, crime, and reoffending. Ten years after the UNGAS, Finland and Norway believe that it was high time for C&D to take stock of the health dimension of drug policy and to provide clear follow-up steps. from Member States, as well as for UNODC, WHO, other international organizations, and other stakeholders. And also to provide normative guidance and move our debates forward, to inform our discussions about drug policies, including public health responses, in particular for discussions foreseen for 2029. Mr. Chair, While we would have preferred this resolution to be adopted by consensus, we are delighted with the strong support from Member States to the general ideas of the resolution, also expressed by the vast majority of C&D members voting in favour. We believe that the C&D has expressed a key sentiment regarding the importance of public health responses as a key component of a balanced, integrated, effective and comprehensive drug policy. While this resolution was not intended to have a particular focus on harm reduction, but rather the entire range of public health responses, we still note with great pleasure that through the flexible, informed and well-intended efforts of all delegates, during which the Vienna spirit has shown through, we have been able to move the discussions around harm reduction forward, while noting that harm reduction is still not a universally accepted concept among all Member States. And we now believe we have agreed language that should form the basis for future consensus decisions on this important issue within the CND. Norway would like to thank you for your leadership, Mr. Chair, and also His Excellency the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands for his able leadership of the Committee of the Whole. We are very grateful for our strong working relationship with the Secretariat during this process, and would like to thank Giovanna and Sanita in particular, and of course, the strong and fruitful partnership with our Finnish colleagues, and we particularly thank Otto, Elina, and Ambassador Nina Vaskin-Lathi. On behalf of Ambassador Susan Eke and myself, we would also like to thank our colleagues, particularly our intern and tireless note-taker during many, many hours of informals, Karolina, and our capital expert, Torbjørn. And I would also like to take this opportunity to express my warm and sincere personal gratitude to every single delegate that participated in our joint efforts during the negotiations. And finally, we congratulate all members of the CND upon the adoption of this important resolution. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


CND · Chair [2:40:54]:

Columbia, please.


Colombia [2:40:59]:

Thank you, Chair. Colombia would like to express its support for the adoption of this resolution on the promotion of integrated responses to drug-related issues. We believe the text adopted is a significant step forward to strengthen an integrated and balanced approach that makes the protection of health, human rights, and fundamental freedoms, and the inherent dignity of all people at the center of drug-related policies. Colombia appreciates the fact that the resolution understands the importance of the whole range of evidence-based public health responses, including prevention, early intervention, treatment, care, rehabilitation, social reintegration, as well as harm reduction. A whole range of possibilities. This shows that we need effective and realistic tools to respond comprehensively to complex realities such as consumption in our countries, which we have seen in UNODC reports. We'd like to specifically highlight that the text acknowledges that the stigma and the multiple and inter-sectional aspects of discrimination and social barriers prevent access to health and support. It is essential to move towards more inclusive and dignified, people-centered responses so that those who have the greatest vulnerabilities can have access. This makes a difference between life and death. For Colombia, it is important for C&D to promote integrated response systems, which are accessible, inclusive, participatory, and which can take on board specific and intersectional questions. Those strengthen consistency between drug-related policies and functionality to achieve broader goals such as the right to the best possible health. And finally, Colombia would like to acknowledge the leadership of Norway and Finland in this process and the spirit of compromise demonstrated by delegations throughout negotiations. Although there has been a vote, we appreciate the efforts made by almost all Member States in the room to bring together their approaches and to build understanding. Colombia will also co-sponsor this resolution, and we reiterate our willingness to work to build responses of this kind based on evidence, people focused, and to protect health and dignity. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:44:18]:

Thank you.

Russian Federation, please.


Russian Federation [2:44:23]:

Thank you very much, Chairman. The Russian Federation would like to see a comprehensive and balanced approach to resolving the drugs problem, with equal attention being paid to measures to reduce illicit supply and demand, as well as ensuring accessibility of drugs for medical and scientific purposes. We are sure that nobody in this room is ready to create a condition in which someone close to them would become a drug user. in that case, that they would continue to be under the impacts of drugs. For patients suffering from drug addiction, rehabilitation is necessary so as to ensure long-term remission and leading a sober way of life. It is our view that the selection of methodology for treatment of drug use is the prerogative of states, as is stipulated by the Single Convention of 1961. The referred to resolution, that referred to in the resolution, namely harm reduction applied by some states, is not universally applied, nor a definition in the UN. which was reflected in the text of the draft resolution. During the informals, we heard more than five different definitions and notions of what harm reduction would be, and that is amongst medical professionals. Russia has a comprehensive approach which allows for a long-term remission of the patient without the use of opioid substitution therapy or replacement therapy. The approach that we have is reflected in the text of the draft resolution. It is our view that the wording provides States with flexibility when they select concrete measures, given the existing structure in their country. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:46:34]:

Singapore, please.


Singapore [2:46:37]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank Norway and Finland for tabling this resolution and their efforts throughout the negotiations. Singapore engaged constructively during the negotiations to help bridge differences. Singapore fully recognises the importance of public health responses in addressing the world drug problem. At the same time, our national approach emphasises both public health and public safety dimensions. While the resolution places significant emphasis on expanding health services, treatment systems, and social support, we believe equal emphasis should have been placed on law enforcement, supply reduction, and the harms arising from drug trafficking and organized crime. Nevertheless, we recognize the intent of this resolution and voted in favor of it. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:47:30]:

Thank you.

Argentina, please.


Argentina [2:47:34]:

Thank you very much, Chairman. The Republic of Argentina would reiterate that when it comes to gender, as per international treaties, this is for two genders, masculine and feminine, in the context of society. When it comes to the gender perspective, in the Republic of Argentina, women's rights have been ensured for quite some time through domestic practices that go far beyond international treaties. Nonetheless, we believe that it is not necessary to include these into sustainable development and other perspectives. We see that 2030 Agenda has non-legally binding obligations, and each state is free to interpret it as they see fit. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:48:24]:

Thank you.

Ukraine, please.


Ukraine [2:48:27]:

Mr. Chair, thank you. I would like to congratulate all on adoption of this resolution. Special thanks to Norway and Finland for tabling, and all primary co-sponsors, Albania, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Morocco, who pushed this resolution. We just want to recall to all members, situation happened after attempted annexation of Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula, when in 2014, when Russian occupation authorities stopped providing harm reduction therapy to patients, and people started immediately dying. Immediately. So that's a price. Harm reduction is a long time part of Ukrainian official policy, Ukrainian official protocols of treatment of patients. We would continue to do this. This is a part of our national strategy until 2030, and then will be also in a part of our European integration compliance process. Thank you so much.


CND · Chair [2:49:54]:

Thank you.

Are there any other delegations wishing to take the floor?


CND · Secretary [2:49:58]:

I think the EU, I think.


Speaker 164 [2:50:00]:

Russia will have the right of.


CND · Chair [2:50:04]:

European Union, please.


EU · EU [2:50:08]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to take the floor on behalf of the European Union and its member states. Let me start by congratulating the sponsors. Finland and Norway for the adoption of the resolution entitled Promoting Integrated and Coherent Systems of Scientific Evidence-Based Drug-Related Public Health Responses by the Commission today. The EU is strongly convinced that while we should collectively put a stronger focus on preparedness and anticipation of threats to face the very complex world drug situation, we should also put a greater emphasis on health. I am pleased, therefore, to confirm the co-sponsorship of this resolution by the European Union on behalf of all its 27 member states. We believe a resolution on public health responses is very timely in the current drug debate. Ten years after the special session of the General Assembly, this resolution takes stock of the health dimension of the drug policy. It reminds us that a comprehensive, evidence-based, equitable, and balanced approach to drugs policy is most effectively achieved through a public health and rights-based approach, with particular attention given to women, as well as to the most vulnerable and marginalized populations. Mr. Chair, drugs policy should always be people-centered, aiming at minimizing the risks and harms of the non-medical use of drugs, to help ensure that everyone can live in health, dignity, and peace, including persons who use drugs, thereby contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. In that regard, the EU and its member states have three priorities. Scale up the entire range of public health responses, evidence-based prevention, early intervention, treatment, care, recovery, social integration, and support services and harm reduction. Second, addressing the barriers to the availability of and access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes. And third, engage all relevant sectors and stakeholders, including civil society, research, community-led organizations, and the private sector, to enhance effective collaboration to improve access to care and treatment that are free of discrimination and stigma, while ensuring the safe, rational, and appropriate use of controlled medicines. Together with the UNODC. The World Health Organization remains essential in providing normative guidance, technical assistance, and capacity building for the expansion of integrated and coherent systems of scientific evidence-based drug-related public health responses. Thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [2:53:11]:

Thank you.

Are there any other requests of explanation of vote or general statements under this agenda item? I don't see. Russian Federation, can I ask you if it is a right of reply? Then, if you don't mind, I will come back to you immediately after we conclude the adoption process.

Thank you.

If there are no any other requests of the floor, then I would like to ask if there are any delegations wishing to co-sponsor this resolution.


CND · Secretary [2:53:50]:

Australia, Chile, Colombia, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mexico, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Canada, Egypt, New Zealand, Ireland, Thank you. Sorry, Peru. Thank you. Ghana. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:54:33]:

Thank you.

And this completes the adoption of resolutions. Before going forward, I would like to give a floor to Russian Federation for the right of reply.


Russian Federation [2:54:51]:

Thank you very much, Chairman. Allow us to respond to the distinguished delegate of Ukraine, who made reference to the idea that in 2014, the people of Ukraine chose their historic path to return in the Russian Federation, and that led to the immediate death following the end of the harm reduction program. And I'm solely speaking now about the provision of opioid substitution therapy. The use of, and here using substitution, that wouldn't be the right term because actually something very different was happening with the doses of methadone. The patients that we're talking about were over 800. It's true that actually only 10 of them died, and those persons didn't die because they didn't receive methadone. The distinguished delegate of Ukraine, before taking the floor in this August Assembly, should check how we concluded the program of opioid therapy. It was a constant lessening of the dose or decrease in the dose by a certain amount of milligrams, so as to softly transition the patients from this type of opioid therapy. And the international community shares this approach. Here, our American colleagues and gynecologists assist us in assisted us in applying this therapy for two pregnant women who were then able to give birth, one of them at least, whose child is now drug-free and living a healthy life. So without getting into further detail, allow me to propose to all who care to take a look at a publication from an American journal regarding the regarding the withdrawal of patients from this type of therapy and how this happens. And again, before taking the floor on a professionally based topic, check twice. Check the research, check the publications, and be quite careful and precise in what you say into the microphone. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:57:29]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to Ukraine for a right of reply. Please.


Ukraine [2:57:34]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, it was 805 people, 805 people. We count every our soul. They important for us. I want to reiterate that all what was happening after February 2014 was made in terms of occupation, temporary occupation, All what was made against those people was made against their will by occupation authorities. And what's happening in Ukraine, it's a temporary attempted annexation. And more than 40 died.


CND · Chair [2:58:26]:

Thank you.

Are there any other requests for the floor? I don't see any. Then with this, my intention is to go back to the agenda item 11, other business. Are there any statements under this agenda item? I don't see any. Thank you very much. At this point, we have to suspend our meeting and gather again at 3:00 PM to give enough time for the preparation of a report, and we will consider it after 3:00 PM. Thank you very much. This meeting is adjourned.