For information only – not an official document
UNIS/MA/286
6 April 2021
VIENNA, 6 April (UN Information Service) - Journalists are invited to cover the 64th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) to be held in a hybrid format with very limited in-person participation between 12 and 16 April in Vienna, Austria.
A ceremonial opening segment on the first day of its 64th session will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. The ceremonial opening segment will include remarks by:
• Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council (video message);
• Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC);
• Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO (video-message);
• Cornelis de Joncheere, President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), and
• Jamie Bridge, Chair of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs.
High-level heads of delegations will address the Commission during the general debate, focusing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world drug problem. At the opening of the general debate, the Commission is expected to adopt a statement on the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the implementation of Member States’ joint commitments to address and counter all aspects of the world drug problem.
Resolutions under consideration by the Commission address the following topics:
- Ensuring access to drug treatment, education, after-care, rehabilitation, and social reintegration services, for people within marginalized populations.
- Promoting alternative development as a development-oriented drug control strategy for building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Promoting quality, affordable, scientific evidence-based and comprehensive drug prevention and treatment services.
- Improving data collection on, and responses to, harmful effects of non-medical use of pharmaceuticals.
The list of draft resolutions can be found here.
The 64th Session is expected to bring together participants from Member States, UN entities, inter-governmental organizations, civil society, and the scientific community, in Vienna and online.
More than 100 side events will take place online during the 64th session of the CND on topics ranging from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world drug problem; prevention, treatment and care services for drug use disorders; access to controlled medicines for medical purposes; addressing and countering drug-related crimes; new trends in the illicit drug markets; proportionate responses to drug related offences; alternative development for sustainable livelihoods, promoting evidence-based drug policies, and more.
Media accreditation
Journalists are invited to follow the opening segment in an online format on 12 April 2021 at 09:00 am (Vienna time).
To follow the opening as well as all open segments, go to: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/session/64_Session_2021/webcast_session-64-of-the-commission-on-narcotic-drugs.html.
Member States will make transcriptions and statements available to journalists at their own discretion.
Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #CND2021 and follow @UNODC, @GhadaFathiWaly, @CND_tweets and @UN_Vienna for updates.
Further information can be found here.
Draft Agenda of the 64th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs is available here.
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For further information please contact:
Sonya Yee
Speechwriter and Spokesperson, UNODC
Phone: (+43 1) 26060-4990
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-4990
Email: sonya.yee[at]un.org
or
Brian Hansford
Advocacy Section Chief, UNODC
Telephone: (+43 1) 26060-83225
Mobile: (+43-699) 1458-3225
Email: brian.hansford[at]un.org
or
Anne Thomas
Public Information Officer, UNIS Vienna
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5588
Email: anne.thomas[at]un.org
