International action to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking, G.A. res. 47/102, 47 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 182, U.N. Doc. A/47/49 (1992).


The General Assembly,

Gravely concerned that the illicit demand for, production of and traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances continue to threaten seriously the socio-economic and political systems and the stability, national security and sovereignty of an increasing number of States,

Reaffirming the principle of shared responsibility of the international community in combating drug abuse and illicit trafficking,

Reaffirming also that the Declaration and the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control, adopted by the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Political Declaration and the Global Programme of Action adopted by the General Assembly at its seventeenth special session and the Declaration adopted by the World Ministerial Summit to Reduce the Demand for Drugs and to Combat the Cocaine Threat, held in London from 9 to 11 April 1990, together with the international drug control treaties, provide a comprehensive framework for international cooperation in drug control,

Recognizing the efforts of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to implement its mandates within this comprehensive framework,

Noting with satisfaction the efforts of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to improve the effectiveness of the regional meetings of heads of national drug law enforcement agencies and of the Subcommission on Illicit Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East in addressing specific drug law enforcement problems of the various regions,

Emphasizing the need for an analysis of transit routes used by drug traffickers, which are constantly changing and expanding to include a growing number of countries and regions in all parts of the world, particularly those that are vulnerable to illicit transit traffic on account, inter alia, of their geographical location,

Alarmed by the growing connection between drug trafficking and terrorism in various parts of the world,

Recognizing the efforts of countries that produce narcotic drugs for scientific, medicinal and therapeutic uses to prevent the channelling of such substances to illicit markets and to maintain production at a level consistent with licit demand,

Reiterating its condemnation of criminal activities that involve children in the use, production and illicit distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and emphasizing the need for the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and other competent agencies to give high priority to measures designed to address this problem,

Noting the increasing number of States acceding to or ratifying the international drug control treaties, including those that have become States parties to the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988,

Reaffirming that all efforts to combat problems related to the consumption, production and manufacture of and traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the flow of money related to these activities should be accompanied by effective measures to promote the economic and social development of affected States,

Recalling its resolution 46/103 of 16 December 1991, in which it reiterated its invitation to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to consider, at its thirty-fifth session, the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Expert Group to Study the Economic and Social Consequences of Illicit Traffic in Drugs, together with the comments of the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, with a view to recommending appropriate follow-up activity,

Noting the action taken by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on this issue, including its decision to study the issue again at its thirty-seventh session,

I

International action to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking

1. Takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General;

2. Reiterates its condemnation of the crime of drug trafficking in all its forms, and urges continued and effective international action to combat it, in keeping with the principle of shared responsibility and with full respect for national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the cultural identity of States;

3. Welcomes the initiatives of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to implement its mandates within the framework of the international drug control treaties, the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control, the Global Programme of Action and relevant consensus documents;

4. Supports the focus on national and regional strategies for drug abuse control, particularly the master-plan approach, and urges the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to keep in mind that these should be complemented with effective interregional strategies;

5. Notes with appreciation the activities of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to promote and monitor the United Nations Decade against Drug Abuse, 1991-2000, under the theme, "A global response to a global challenge", including the successful launching by the Programme of the goodwill ambassadors initiative, and invites Governments to cooperate with the Programme in further developing this initiative;

6. Takes note of the recommendation that Governments should establish national focal points or coordinating mechanisms for the Decade;

7. Recommends that Governments cooperate fully with the Coordinator for the Decade to enhance and facilitate the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on progress made in attaining the objectives of the Decade, to be submitted to the General Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council;

8. Requests the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, in cooperation with relevant agencies, including the United Nations Children's Fund, to study the involvement of children in drug-related criminal activities and the abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances by children, with a view to recommending measures that may be taken to address this problem;

9. Welcomes the trend towards ratification and implementation of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, that Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988;

10. Requests the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to include in its report to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking of 1988 a section on experience gained to date in implementing the Convention, which should contain recommendations and strategies for its further implementation;

11. Recommends that the United Nations International Drug Control Programme invite the cooperation of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch of the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat in its activities to counter drug-related criminality, including money-laundering, to ensure complementarity of their efforts and to avoid duplication;

12. Encourages all countries to take action to prevent the illicit arms trade by which weapons are provided to drug traffickers;

13. Expresses its satisfaction with the efforts of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to improve the functioning and impact of the meetings of heads of national drug law enforcement agencies and with its decision, that the heads of national drug law enforcement agencies of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Subcommission on Illicit Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East should continue to meet annually;

14. Requests the United Nations International Drug Control Programme in its report on illicit traffic in drugs to analyse world-wide trends in illicit traffic and transit in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including methods and routes used, and to recommend ways and means for improving the capacity of States along those routes to deal with all aspects of the drug problem;

15. Emphasizes the connection between the illicit production and supply of, demand for, sale of and traffic and transit in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the economic, social and cultural conditions of the countries affected and that solutions to these problems must take into account the differences and diversity of the problem in each country;

16. Calls upon the international community to provide increased international economic and technical cooperation to Governments, at their request, in support of programmes for the substitution of illicit crops by means of integrated rural development and alternative development programmes that respect fully the jurisdiction and sovereignty of countries and the cultural traditions of peoples;

17. Takes note of the initiative of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to study the concept of swapping debt for alternative development in the area of international drug abuse control and the decision of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to consider this matter at its thirty-sixth session on the basis of a report of the Executive Director of the Programme;

18. Encourages Governments to nominate experts for the roster to be maintained by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, to ensure that the Programme may draw from the widest pool of expertise and experience in implementing its policies and programmes;

19. Stresses the need for effective action to prevent the diversion for illicit purposes of precursors and other chemicals, materials and equipment frequently used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

20. Commends the International Narcotics Control Board for its valuable work in monitoring production and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances so as to limit their use to medical and scientific purposes, and for the effective manner in which it has implemented its additional responsibilities, under article 12 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, concerning the control of precursors and essential chemicals;

21. Takes note of the conclusions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its thirty-fifth session on the economic and social consequences of illicit trafficking;

22. Expresses its satisfaction with efforts being made by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and other United Nations bodies to obtain reliable data on drug abuse and illicit trafficking, including the development of the International Drug Abuse Assessment System, the project to determine possible improvements to the international system for the collection of data on illicit traffic and money-laundering, as well as the programme of technical cooperation with developing countries in collaboration with the Financial Action Task Force, and requests the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to report to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its thirty-sixth session on the progress being made in these areas;

23. Notes with satisfaction that the United Nations Social Defence Research Institute will complete its world-wide research study on the economic and social consequences of drug abuse and illicit trafficking in 1993;

24. Recommends to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, when it studies the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme on the economic and social consequences of drug abuse and illicit trafficking at its thirty-seventh session, to consider including this issue as an item on its agenda;

25. Appeals to States and the international donor community to increase voluntary contributions to the Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to enable it to expand its programmes further ;

II

Implementation of the Global Programme of Action against illicit production, supply, demand, trafficking and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General concerning the implementation of the Global Programme of Action;

2. Reaffirms its commitment to implementing the mandates contained in the Global Programme of Action and the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control;

3. Notes with satisfaction the framework established by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to monitor implementation of the Global Programme of Action;

4. Calls upon States to take all possible steps to promote and implement individually and in cooperation with other States the mandates and recommendations contained in the Global Programme of Action, with a view to translating the Programme into practical action to the widest possible extent at the national, regional and international levels;

5. Calls upon the United Nations and its relevant bodies, the specialized agencies, other relevant intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to extend their cooperation and assistance to States in the promotion and implementation of the Global Programme of Action;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session on the implementation of the present resolution under the item entitled "International drug control".

89th plenary meeting
16 December 1992



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