In remembrance
Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky (1938-2025)
VIENNA, 18 June 2025 - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) mourns the passing of Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky, who served as a Member of the Board from 2003 to 2012.
Ambassador Levitsky, a national of the United States, was elected to the Board by the United Nations Economic and Social Council following a distinguished diplomatic career. During his membership, he served in the capacities of Chair of the Committee on Finance and Administration (2004) and Chair of the Working Group on Strategy and Priorities (2005). Throughout his tenure, Ambassador Levitsky contributed to global drug policy discussions, leveraging his extensive expertise in international affairs, drug control and human rights.
Prior to joining INCB, Ambassador Levitsky held key roles in the U.S. Department of State, serving as Ambassador to Brazil (1994-1998) and Bulgaria (1984-1987), Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics Matters (1989-1993) and Executive Secretary and Special Assistant to the Secretary of the United States Department of State (1987-1989). He was the recipient of several U.S. State Department Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards, Presidential Meritorious Service Awards and the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award.
From 2006, Ambassador Levitsky was a faculty member at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, where he taught graduate courses on foreign affairs and international relations, drug, crime and terrorism policy and U.S. national security. He was also a senior associate of the Ford School's International Policy Center, senior advisor to the Weiser Diplomacy Center, and faculty associate of the university's Center for Russian and East European Studies.
As an INCB member, Ambassador Levitsky was a dedicated advocate for international cooperation in drug policy, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach covering public health, education, and law enforcement. His deep understanding of geopolitical issues and his commitment to fostering international collaboration enriched the work of the Board and contributed to policy development worldwide.
Ambassador Levitsky's legacy will endure in the work of INCB and the broader international community.
INCB extends its heartfelt condolences to Ambassador Levitsky's family, friends, and colleagues.