LET'S RENEW OUR COMMITMENT

Statement from the President of the UN General Assembly, on the occasion of
the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

TWO years ago the Assembly met in special session to consider the drug
issue in depth. An unprecedented number of heads of state and government
came to New York to urge global action against what has become a global
problem. Equally unprecedented was the degree of consensus that emerged as
to how the world community should address this complex issue.

In the political declaration, governments went so far as to establish
concrete targets - with deadlines - for action in different areas of drug
control.

Consensus was also reached on a set of Guiding Principles to be applied in
reducing the demand for drugs. Strategies were adopted to address
amphetamine-type stimulants and precursor chemicals. Measures were agreed
upon to promote judicial cooperation and to counter money laundering.

An action plan was adopted to eliminate illicit drug crops through
alternative development measures.

This pro-active approach was a marked contrast to the voices of defeatism
that are sometimes heard in the drug control field.

It gave a strong impetus to Governments, and many of them have already made
significant progress in implementing the agreed strategies. It also
provided a boost to the work of the UN in drug control.

The UN International Drug Control Program benefited from a 37 per cent
increase in income during the just completed biennium, allowing approval of
a record budget for the program for the new biennium.

We must not allow ourselves to become complacent at what can only be
described as a strong political and strategic advance. As can be seen in
the theme for this year's observance of the International Day against Drug
Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the drug problem continues to ravage
individuals, communities and even whole countries.

Its linkages with a range of other problems - corruption, violence and
HIV/AIDS to name only three - underline how pervasive the drug problem has
become in today's world.

No country is immune. Highest rates of abuse of some drugs are now in
developing countries, for example, and drugs are produced in both
industrialised and developing countries. The problem belongs to all of us.

On this day, let us renew the commitment we made two years ago to act in
concert to protect our citizens and the very institutions of government and
society from drug abuse and trafficking.