FOR PARTICIPANTS ONLY
E/CN.7/1997/PC/CRP.7/Rev.1
27 November 1997
ENGLISH
ORIGINAL: SPANISH

COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS ACTING AS PREPARATORY BODY FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEVOTED TO THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ILLICIT PRODUCTION, SALE, DEMAND, TRAFFIC AND DISTRIBUTION OF NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

Third informal open-ended inter-sessional meeting
Vienna, 5 December 1997
Item 2 of the provisional agenda*

PROPOSAL BY COLOMBIA**

The attached draft revised text is being circulated at the request of the Government of Colombia. The draft revised text contains elements from discussions held by the Latin American and the Caribbean working group and suggestions made by the African working group.

*E/CN.7/1997/PC.8.
**This document has not been edited.
V.97-28579 (E) (a:1997 ar.3)

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DRAFT UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN SUPPORT OF ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS

The General Assembly,

p.p. 1. Reaffirms that the fight against illicit drugs must be pursued on the basis of the principle of shared responsibility, following a comprehensive and balanced approach, and with full respect for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,

p.p.2. Recalling that, in its resolution 51/64, it decided that this special session should be devoted, inter alia, to examining the fight against the illicit production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and to proposing new strategies, methods, practical activities and specific measures aimed at strengthening international cooperation to address the problem of illicit drugs,

p.p.3. Recalling that one of the objectives of this special session of the General Assembly, as set out in its resolution 51/64, is to encourage international cooperation in developing programmes for the elimination of cultivation for illicit purposes and in promoting alternative development programmes,

p.p.4. Recognizing that alternative development constitutes one of the fundamental tools for promoting the elimination of cultivation for illicit purposes,

p.p.5. Recognizing that the problem of the illicit production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and its relationship to sustainable development requires, within the context of shared responsibility, close cooperation among States, the competent organs of the United Nations system, regional bodies and international financial institutions,

p.p.6. Aware that, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness in the fight against drug abuse, it is necessary to maintain a balanced approach by allocating appropriate resources to initiatives that include the reduction of both illicit demand and illicit supply,

p.p.7. Underlining the need to promote international cooperation in support of alternative development programmes and projects aimed at strengthening self-sustaining production systems and economic, social and environmental processes for the benefit of communities and population groups affected by illicit cultivation, recognizing the particular socio-cultural characteristics of each of those communities and groups, within the framework of a comprehensive and permanent solution to the problem of illicit drugs,

Decides to adopt the following United Nations Declaration on Strengthening International Cooperation in Support of Alternative Development Programmes and Projects;

o.p. 1. Reaffirms that alternative development is the key component of the policy and programmes for reducing illicit drug production that have been adopted within the comprehensive framework of the global drug control strategy of the United Nations;

o.p.2. Recognizes that, for the purpose of continuing the efforts of Governments in the implementation of alternative development programmes, decisive action is called for to strengthen the existing processes and to implement new and innovative alternative development programmes having the firm support of the international community, with a view to ensuring their viability, as an effective confirmation of shared responsibility;

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o.p.3. Regards alternative development as a tool for generating and promoting lawful and sustainable socioeconomic options for those communities and population groups that have resorted to cultivation for illicit purposes as a means of obtaining a livelihood;

o.p.4. Emphasizes the need for commercial agreements to permit greater access of agricultural exports to international markets, with a view to overcoming problems relating to prices and marketing resulting from the substitution of crops cultivated for illicit purposes by crops cultivated for licit commercial purposes;

o.p.5. Reiterates that international cooperation is essential for strengthening alternative development programmes and projects within the United Nations objective of achieving a truly comprehensive and enduring solution to the problem of illicit drugs;

o.p.6. Underlines the need to foster coordinated links between the public sector and civil society, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector, with a view to their participating in the implementation of alternative development programmes and projects;

o.p.7. Advocates the following objectives of programmes and projects for alternative development, and of international cooperation for that purpose, which will ensure the effectiveness of the common endeavour to reduce the illicit production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

o.p.7. (a) Alternative development programmes and projects must be consistent with national development policies and strategies in the rural and regional communities affected by the illicit cultivation and production of drugs;

o.p.7. (b) Programmes for alternative development and international cooperation for that purpose should, within the general context of sustainable development, take into account the particular economic and social characteristics and the traditional licit customs of the communities and population groups affected by the illicit production of drugs;

o.p.7. (c) Alternative development must contribute to creating sustainable social and economic opportunities that will help to improve the living conditions of the communities where illicit cultivation and production exist;

o.p.7. (d) The national institutions responsible for alternative development should promote the coordinated participation of the affected communities and population groups in the formulation and execution of the projects;

o.p.7. (e) Improvements in the road, services and production infrastructure as well as technology transfer should be part of the collective benefits that will encourage the communities and population groups to abandon cultivation for illicit purposes;

o.p.7. (f) Alternative development programmes should contribute to promoting social values and a climate conducive to community participation, discontinuation of cultivation for illicit purposes and observance of the law;

o.p.7. (g) Institution-building at the regional and local levels should be regarded as a factor that will contribute to improving the level of participation in activities fostered by alternative development;

o.p.7. (h) Alternative development programmes and projects must observe environmental sustainability criteria and avoid any expansion or displacement of illicit cultivation, even to ecologically fragile areas;

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o.p.7. (i) International cooperation should contribute to achieving the sustainability of alternative development programmes and projects in the medium and long term;

o.p.8 Encourages UNDCP to continue to pursue its catalytic role in regard to international financial institutions and to assist interested Governments in approaching such institutions for the purpose of financing their alternative development programmes and projects;

o.p.9 Requests UNDCP to continue to provide technical and financial assistance to Governments executing alternative development programmes and to intensify its efforts to obtain additional financial resources through voluntary contributions from Governments;

o.p.10 Entrusts the Executive Director of UNDCP with the design of a mechanism whereby its Fund receives, in the contributions voluntarily made by Governments, a percentage of the confiscated proceeds from illicit drug trafficking and related activities, with a view to supporting alternative development programmes and projects, requesting him to present a report to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, at its forty-second session, for its consideration;

o.p.11. Requests the agencies of the United Nations system, in particular UNDP, FAO and UNIDO, to cooperate, within their spheres of competence, through agro-industrial development and technology transfer to regions and communities that are the targets of alternative development programmes and projects;

o.p.12. Recommends to Governments pursuing alternative development strategies that they implement follow-up and evaluation systems which will enable them to monitor the qualitative and quantitative progress of those programmes and share their experiences with other Governments, UNDCP and INCB;

o.p.13. Requests the Executive Director of UNDCP to report on the follow-up to this declaration at the forty second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.