thematic sessions

2024 Thematic Discussions on the Implementation of All International Drug Policy Commitments, Following-up to the 2019 Ministerial Declaration

12-14 NOVEMBER 2024

Agenda

CND Thematic Discussions Workplan 2024 - 2028

The third intersessional meeting of the 67th session of the Commission will take place from 12 to 14 November 2024 and will include thematic sessions on the implementation of all international drug policy commitments, following-up to the 2019 Ministerial Declaration.

The following topics will be discussed:

12 November

10:00 - 13:00: Expanding Range of Drugs and Diversifying Markets

15:00 - 18:00: Synthetic Opioids and Non-medical Use of Prescription Drugs

13 November

10:00 - 13:00: Challenges in Illicit Cultivation and Production of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

15:00 - 18:00: Illicit Trafficking in Substances and Precursors, and Domestic Diversion of Precursor Chemicals

14 November

10:00 - 13:00: Legal, Scientific, and Regulatory Challenges in Scheduling Substances

15:00 - 18:00: Other Substantive Matters

The topics that have been proposed by interested Member States for discussion under the session on “Other substantive matters”, to be held on 14 November from 3 to 6 PM (listed in order of receipt) are:

Challenges to the identification of new illicit drugs: Discussion on strategies and approaches by laboratories to enhance the capacity of forensic personnel and harnessing technology to improve identification methods
Harm reduction measures
Drug Policy: social determinants, disproportionate impacts, and barriers to service access
Current status of the critical review of Coca Leaf, as per the procedures of WHO
The relevance of scientific evidence in the work of UN bodies and agencies in the implementation of the Global Drug Policy
Challenges to the integrity of the international drug control system

Format

The thematic discussions will be organized, in line with past practice, in English only and in a hybrid format (in-person participation combined with online participation through the InEvent platform). The discussions will be webcast on UN Web TV, thanks to the availability of dedicated XB resources for this purpose.

The morning meetings will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Vienna time), and the afternoon meetings from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Vienna time).

Each session of the thematic discussions (morning and afternoon sessions) will be organized in different components:

Introductory statements by UNODC
Expert panel discussion
Pledge4Action Progress Spotlight
Discussion with interventions from the floor

The format of the discussion for the agenda item “Other substantive matters” consists of a general introduction by UNODC followed by an interactive debate with short interventions from the floor moderated by the CND Chair. Member States who submitted a topic for discussion will be given the floor first to introduce it.

For further details, please consult the organizational arrangements agreed by the Commission.