For information only - not an official document
UNIS/NAR/1373
8 February 2019
INCB concludes 124th session, meets with Member States on past year drug control developments
VIENNA, 8 February 2019 (UN Information Service) - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) concluded its 124th session in Vienna today. In his closing remarks, INCB President Dr. Viroj Sumyai recognized the constructive efforts being made by national authorities, regional and international organizations, and civil society in preventing and treating drug abuse, in preventing diversion from licit international trade and in addressing drug trafficking and illicit cultivation and production.
On 6 February, the INCB President held a briefing for Member States on the work of the Board over the past year and on matters related to treaty implementation and compliance. The President emphasized the importance of cooperation with governments to improve treaty compliance towards achieving the health and welfare objectives of the three international drug control conventions and the Sustainable Development Goals. Dr. Sumyai presented the latest findings of the Board on the global disparity in availability of internationally controlled medicines, which will be published on 5 March in a special supplement to the INCB Annual Report 2018.
The Board considered the findings of its missions to Armenia, Germany, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Paraguay, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, to whose governments the Board will soon transmit its recommendations. In this context, the INCB President recognized the key role country missions played in furthering dialogue and understanding of the drug control situation at the national level.
INCB held consultations with the Chair of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), and discussed preparations for the Board's participation at the 62nd session of the Commission, during which the Board would present its 2018 Annual Report, Precursors Report and supplement on availability.
The Board also met the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov. During the Board session, the INCB President reiterated the importance of ongoing tripartite collaboration between INCB, UNODC and the World Health Organization in supporting states to achieve the objectives of the three international drug control conventions and in implementing the outcome document of the 2016 special session of the General Assembly on the World Drug Problem . Dr. Sumyai noted "we remain committed to working together with WHO and UNODC to support States in addressing the drug problem, as set out in our joint statement made last year at the 61st session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs".
The Board considered the challenges posed by the proliferation of non-scheduled "designer" precursors used in illicit drug manufacture, which is addressed in detail in the forthcoming 2018 Precursors report, and highlighted the need for a discussion at the international level on ways to address this problem.
INCB finalized preparations for the launch of its Annual Report 2018, the thematic chapter of which focuses on the use of cannabis and cannabis derivatives for medical and non-medical purposes. In accordance with the Board's mandate to monitor and promote implementation of the three drug control conventions, the Annual Report reviews the status of treaty compliance by States, regional aspects of the world drug problem, and makes recommendations to Governments and international organizations to improve the situation.
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INCB is the independent, quasi-judicial body charged with promoting and monitoring Government compliance with the three international drug control conventions: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Established by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the thirteen members of the Board are elected in a personal capacity by the Economic and Social Council for terms of five years.
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