In the follow-up to the Ministerial Declaration, the Commission decided, in the 2019–2023 multi-year workplan, to hold for the period 2019–2022 interactive thematic discussions on addressing the challenges identified in the Ministerial Declaration, as well as to have, in 2023, in the lead-up to the 2024 mid-term review, a comprehensive stock-taking of progress made in implementing all international drug policy commitments.
At its sixty-second session, CND held a ministerial segment to take stock of the implementation of the commitments made to jointly address and counter the world drug problem. Participants adopted by consensus the 2019 Ministerial Declaration on strengthening actions at the national, regional and international levels to accelerate the implementation of joint commitments to address and counter the world drug problem. The Ministerial Declaration consists of three parts: a preamble, a stock-taking section and a section on the way forward.
Member States agreed to focus on the practical implementation of the joint commitments made over the past decade (namely the commitments stemming from the 2009 Political Declaration, the 2014 Joint Ministerial Statement and the 2016 UNGASS outcome document). Member States resolved, in following up to the 2019 Ministerial Declaration, to review in the Commission in 2029 the progress made in implementing all the international drug policy commitments, with a mid-term review in CND in 2024.
The 2019 Ministerial Declaration also reiterates that efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to effectively address the world drug problem are complementary and mutually reinforcing.
In 2016, following the preparatory process led by the fifty-ninth session of CND, the General Assembly held a special session (UNGASS 2016) on the world drug problem and adopted resolution S-30/1, containing the outcome document entitled “Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem”. The outcome document contains operational recommendations for implementation by Member States under seven thematic chapters, as follows:
In 2014, at the high-level review of the progress made in the implementation by Member States of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action, CND adopted a Joint Ministerial Statement identifying achievements, challenges and priorities for further action by the target date of 2019.
The 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation Towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem gave CND the mandate to monitor the world drug situation; develop strategies on international drug control; and recommend measures to combat the world drug problem, including through reducing demand for drugs, promoting alternative development initiatives, adopting supply reduction measures, and strengthening international cooperation. The 2009 Political Declaration set targets to eliminate or reduce significantly and measurably the following:
