United Nations

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UNIS/NAR/1183
11 November 2013

 New member of the International Narcotics Control Board elected

VIENNA, 11 November 2013 (UN Information Service) - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is pleased to announce that the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) elected on 7 November 2013 Doctor Alejandro Mohar Betancourt (Mexico) to the Board.

Alejandro Mohar Betancourt has been the Director General of the National Cancer Research Institute of Mexico since 2003 and holds a Doctorate of Science in Epidemiology from the Harvard University School of Public Health, a Master of Science in Epidemiology, Harvard University School of Public Health, and a degree as Surgeon, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico.

The election at the 51 ^st meeting of ECOSOC's Substantive Session in New York was held to fill the vacancy for the remaining period of the five-year term of Jorge Montaño of Mexico, who resigned in April 2013. In accordance with the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, Doctor Mohar Betancourt was elected from among five candidates nominated by Governments for the remainder of the term until 1 March 2017.

The thirteen Members of INCB serve in a personal capacity, not as Government representatives. The Board, which is currently holding its 108 ^th session in Vienna, congratulated Dr. Mohar Betancourt on his appointment and looks forward to welcoming him. Further details about the election and biographical information of the new Member of the Board have been issued by ECOSOC in its press release of 7 November and in document E/2013/9/Add.14.

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INCB is the independent, quasi-judicial body charged with promoting and monitoring Government compliance with the three international drug control conventions: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. The thirteen members of the Board are elected by the Economic and Social Council for terms of five years. The current members of the Board are: Wayne Hall (Australia), David T. Johnson (United States of America), Galina Aleksandrovna Korchagina (Russian Federation), Alejandro Mohar Betancourt (Mexico), Marc Moinard (France), Lochan Naidoo (South Africa), Rajat Ray (India), Ahmed Kamal Eldin Samak (Egypt), Werner Sipp (Germany), Viroj Sumyai (Thailand), Sri Suryawati (Indonesia), Raymond Yans (Belgium) and Francisco Thoumi (Colombia).