The 69^th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) takes place amid significant shifts in both illicit drug markets and geopolitics. The third edition of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) Global Organized Crime Index, for instance, shows that synthetic drugs and cocaine now dominate the illicit drug landscape. More generally, the world is experiencing a steadily expanding drug trade, accompanied by record-high drug use and mounting health, social and security costs in nearly every region. These profound transformations are driven by major changes in the global criminal economy.

At a time of unprecedented strain on multilateralism, and with the CND’s new expert panel to review international drug policy taking shape, the GI-TOC will draw attention to these developments in illicit drug markets, and promote innovative multilateral efforts to respond. The focus will be on recent cooperation with the governments of Ghana and the Netherlands to build momentum for action against synthetic drugs and cocaine markets through the ‘Accra Call to Action’.

GI-TOC events at the CND:

Exploring the transformations and trajectories of drug markets in a changing world

Monday 9 March, 1–2 p.m.
VIC room MOE79

Organized by the GI-TOC and supported by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the African Union.

Register to join online: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3BIf0q5dSwuz9j00NS0OnQ#/registration

Taking forward the Accra Call to Action on drug markets in West Africa

Monday 9 March, 4.30–5.30 p.m.
VIC room M5

Organized by Ghana and supported by the Netherlands, the African Union, the European Union, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Sudan and the United Kingdom.

Register to join online: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uzv9gSewSNyTOMsWOfCKfw#/registration

Bridging the social, health and justice domains: advancing a holistic, people-centred drug policy model

Wednesday 11 March, 3–4 p.m.
VIC room M5

Organized by Malta with the support of Australia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe and the GI-TOC.

Link TBC

The GI-TOC will also be represented at the following event:

Regional implications of organized crime in Latin America 10 years after UNGASS 2016

Wednesday 11 March, 4.30–5.30 p.m.
VIC Room MOE05

Organized by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung with the support of Centro de Estudios sobre Seguridad y Drogas (CESED) de la Universidad de los Andes, Corporación Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad (Dejusticia), Elementa DDHH and Fundación Ideas para la Paz.