The 61th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) the main body in charge of policy-making of the UN narcotic drug control system is being held from 12 – 16 March 2018 at the Austrian capital.
Cuba as a Member State of this body (2018-2021) actively participates with a delegation led by Mr. Antonio Israel Ybarra Suárez, Representative of the country to CND and Secretary of the National Commission on Drugs. Moreover, the delegation is composed of members of the Cuban Permanent Mission to UN Office at Vienna and to International Organizations in Austria: Mrs. Marieta García Jordán, Chargé d´affaires a.i; Mrs. Susette Hernández González and Mrs. Beatriz Lauzarique Montiel, Third Secretaries.
During the session of the General Debate, Mr. Ybarra delivered a statement in which the importance of the work of this session was reiterated as part of the preparatory process of the special high-level segment to be held in 2019. The Member States have been pledged to check by that date, the reached goals and the challenges that remain in the implementation of 2009 Political Declaration and its Action Plan.
Similarly, in his statement he referred to “zero tolerance” policy supported by Cuba while addressing the world drug problem, as well, he mentioned the prevalence of comprehensive strategies in the country aiming at achieving the balance between prevention and struggle.
On the other hand, the Cuban Representative underlined that “in spite of our geographical location in the middle of an important traffic volume zone, drug incidence continues to be less significant in our country; at the time its effects are domestically reduced as a result of the political willingness and the commitment of our State and Government”.
This CND´s session will constitute a place to reiterate Cuba´s pledge to fully cooperate with the region and with all the international community in order to tackle the world drug problem. Likewise, it will be a space to restate Cuba´s support to the work of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, without undermining its functions or duplicity by other multilateral fora. At the same time, Cuba reaffirms its commitments and obligations as State Party to the three UN Conventions which constitute the international legal framework of the global drug control regime.
(Embacuba Austria / Cubaminrex)