Sub-Commission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East
The Central Bureau of Narcotics ( CBN ) on behalf of Government of India hosted the 42nd Session of the Sub-Commission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East at Agra from 3rd to 7th December, 2007. The Central Bureau of Narcotics is the oldest specialized agency in the field of control over narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The Conference was organized jointly by the CBN and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC ), Vienna , Austria . The objective of the Conference was to assess the drug scenario and to promote regional and sub-regional coordination against illicit drug traffic. The Sub-commission has 23 member countries besides observer countries from Europe, USA , Australia and relevant intergovernmental organizations like Interpol as well as United Nations bodies.
The 42nd Session of the Sub commission was inaugurated by K. Mohandas , Additional Secretary (Revenue) , Ministry of Finance at Hotel Jay Pee Palace Agra.
He threw light on the global efforts to put in place some uniformity among the laws of different nations around the world in the form of the three International Conventions which provides member countries to establish a mechanism to regulate licit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and identified sensitive precursor chemicals, and institutionalized mechanisms for cooperation between nations. Among the mechanisms so established is the Commission on Narcotic Drugs- one of the functional bodies of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. As the subsidiary body of the CND , this sub-Commission shoulders the onerous responsibility of enhancing international cooperation in the field of drug control. He highlighted the importance of the sub-commission being held on the verge of the 10 year review of the UNGASS goals by the CND assumes a special significance as the review of the UNGASS goals was one of the topics proposed for discussion during this sub-commission. He also outlined the global drug abuse scenario and affect of the problem on member nations of sub-commission and hoped that the topics proposed for discussions by the working group of the sub-commission would come out with some positive deliberation to resolve the issue. He hoped that during this sub-commission, deliberations will be on what has been achieved and how far in pursuance of the resolutions and the Action Plan of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session 1998. These deliberations will provide valuable inputs to the next session of the CND .
In his address to the Session, Gary Lewis , Representative to Executive Director, UNODC , also outlined the issues related to global and regional drug trafficking scenario. He also stressed the need for strategy formulation by the governments to tackle the problem in an effective manner.
Jagjit Pavadia , Narcotics Commissioner, Central Bureau of Narcotics India was elected as Chairperson to the Session while Fahed Bin Affas Al- Qtaibi of Saudi Arabi and Lt. Col. Ibrahim Issa Mubarak Alboanain of Qatar were elected as Vice-Chairman. During the five days, detailed deliberations on various aspects of drug related problems were discussed. Participants were invited to inform the Subcommission of their respective countries' efforts as regards regional and sub-regional cooperation in areas such as joint investigations, law enforcement training and sharing of information and experience in taking measures to counter drug trafficking. Participants are requested to indicate in particular any practical problems impeding regional and subregional cooperation and measures to overcome those problems.
The representative from the countries also presented their country papers on these issues and apprised the meeting of the strategy and actions taken by their governments to tackle the problem and achieved the desired targets.
Suggestions and views of the representative were incorporated in the report of the meeting which was adopted by the meeting for submission to the meeting of Commission on Narcotic Drugs to be held at Vienna for ratification. The representatives from UNODC thanked the Government of India for successful hosting and providing necessary assistance in organizing the conference.