UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs

News: India has been elected to chair the 68th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).

About UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs

• It is the principal policy-making body of the United Nations on drug-related matters.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
• Mandate– It is mandated to monitor global drug trends, support Member States in formulating balanced policies, and oversee the implementation of the major international drug conventions.
• The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is responsible for deciding which substances are controlled under three key international drug agreements:
  • The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, amended in 1972.
  • The 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
  • The 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
• Origin:
  • It was established by the resolution of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) IN 1946.
  • In 1991, the General Assembly (GA) expanded the mandate of the CND to function as the governing body of UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
• Membership & Bureau-The CND has 53 member states that are elected by ECOSOC. It is chaired by a Bureau including one member per Regional Group.
• The CND meets annually and adopts a range of decisions and resolutions. Intersessional meetings are convened throughout the year.
• Subsidiary Bodies– It has five subsidiary bodies: the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific and Africa, and the Subcommission in the Near and Middle East.

Significance to India

• This is the first time that India has been named to Chair this important UN body.
• This reinforces India’s growing leadership role on the global stage and its commitment to addressing international issues through established multilateral mechanisms.