Draft Proposal by the United States, 27 November 1997 

FOR PARTICIPANTS ONLY
E/CN.7/1997/PC/CRP.9
27 November 1997
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

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*

ERADICATION OF ILLICIT NARCOTIC CROPS AND PROMOTION OF
ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

Draft non-paper to be included in the declaration on implementing the 1988 United Nations Convention against-Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotic Substances

PROPOSAL BY THE UNITED STATES**

*E/CN.711997/PC/8.
**This document has not been edited.
V.97-28603

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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON ERADICATION OF ILLICIT DRUG CROPS AND PROMOTION OF ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

Problem

Despite the adoption of international conventions promoting the prohibition of illicit drug crops the problem of cultivation of coca bush, opium poppy, and cannabis plant continues at alarming levels.

Action

1. States and their community leaders must strongly condemn the cultivation of coca bush, opium poppy, and cannabis plants as well as other illicit drug crops.

2. States and their community leaders should ensure that the specific commitments of

the United Nations conventions regarding illicit drug crop cultivation are implemented and enforced,

including:

the provisions of the 1961 Convention (and its 1972 Protocol) which calls upon member States to prohibit the cultivation of opium poppy, the coca bush, or the cannabis plant to protect the public health and welfare and prevent diversion into illicit traffic and to take measures to seize any plants illicitly cultivated;

the provision of the 1988 Convention which calls upon parties to adopt measures to establish as a criminal offense the cultivation of opium poppy, coca bush, or cannabis plant for the production of narcotic drugs contrary to the provisions of the 1961 Convention and that Convention as amended and to take appropriate measures to prevent illicit cultivation of and to eradicate plants containing narcotic or psychotropic substances.

3. States should commit to ending all illicit cultivation of opium poppy and coca bush by the year 2008, using all available means, including alternative development, eradication and law enforcement.

4. States with illicit drug cultivation should develop national strategies to implement the provisions of the 1961 Convention and article 14 of the 1988 Convention regarding the elimination of drug crops.

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Problem

History has shown that there is no single response to eliminating the cultivation and production of illicit drugs.

Action

5. National crop elimination strategies and programmes should include comprehensive measures such as programmes in alternative development, law enforcement and eradication.

6. National crop elimination strategies should include concrete measurable objectives.

Problem

Member States have often undertaken valiant efforts to eliminate the cultivation of opium poppy, coca bush, and cannabis plant. Nevertheless, in many cases, successes in eliminating illicit drug cultivation in one area have resulted in increased illicit cultivation of such crops in other regions or countries.

Action

7. States should cooperate through bilateral, regional and multilateral means to prevent drug organizations from moving cultivation from one area, region, or country to another.

8. States should share information on illicit drug crop assessments with UNDCP and other Governments in order to increase cooperation to eliminate such cultivation

Problem

Alternative development is an important component for generating and promoting lawful, viable, and sustainable economic options to illicit drug crop cultivation. Against this backdrop, countries with illicit drug crops will need to seek continued assistance to support national efforts to eliminate drug crops.

Action

9. Member States with illicit drug., crop cultivation should present national plans to potential donors, including from bilateral and multilateral donors such as the World Bank and relevant regional banks, and request assistance to support their efforts to eliminate drug crops.

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10. Donor nations and the relevant United Nations organizations should assist countries in countering illicit drug production by providing alternative development assistance with the objective of eliminating drug crops.

11. The international financial institutions and the regional development banks should provide loans and other assistance for alternative development programmes that have as their objective the elimination of drug crops.

Problem

Alternative development programmes are not necessarily interchangeable from country to country.

Action

12. National authorities and local communities should be involved when development and implementing alternative development projects.

13. Local economic, social and cultural characteristics of the communities receiving alternative development assistance should be taken into account when alternative development programmes are developed.

14. Alternative development programmes should, when possible and necessary, include:

• sustainable development criteria;
• market projects which rehabilitate existing agricultural economy, integrate pest management, and technology transfer;
• institutional development support;
• market opportunities for new licit crops by linking new legitimate producers with potential markets;
• development of infrastructure such as roads and irrigation systems to encourage the abandonment of illicit crops;
• employment opportunities in the non-agricultural sector, where economically viable;
• close collaboration among, private investment, the inclusion of civil society, and non-governmental organizations.

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15. UNDCP should promote efforts by the World Bank and regional banks to convene a series of regional donor conferences to seek resources for alterative development programmes in support of comprehensive crop control strategies.

16. Those countries that have experienced success in eliminating drug crops should share their experiences through UNDCP.

Problem

Even when development projects are successful, drug traffickers still have the resources to achieve many of their objectives. Large numbers of growers and processors are not likely to abandon the trade voluntarily simply because other opportunities exists; they must see that there is a risk associated with staying in illicit drug cultivation.

Action

17. Member States with illicit drug crop cultivation problems should ensure that sustainable development initiatives are backed, when necessary, by credible enforcement measures,

18. Comprehensive drug interdiction programmes can have disruptive efforts on the market that help drive down the price of illicitly cultivated drug crops and in so doing make alternative sources of legal income more competitive and attractive.

19. Under other circumstances, or when other strategies have not worked, States should consider deterrence measures such as eradication, destruction of illicit drug crops, arrests, as called for in the 1961 and 1988 Conventions.

20. Eradication efforts should utilize available research and ensure that environmentally safe methods are employed.