United Nations Drug Control Program
Washington State Model United Nations Conference 2003
Dear Delegates,
I am extremely pleased that you are attending the Washington State Model United Nations conference and in particular that you are participating in the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP). Model United Nations provide a unique view into the dynamic and cloudy world of international relations and allows you, as a participant, to deal with these issues in a very real and physical way. I believe that the topics for this year’s UNDCP are pertinent and thought provoking and I am looking forward to a lively, intelligent, and engaging debate.
As for myself, I am a Junior at the University of Washington studying
Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, which may at first, seem a little odd. You were expecting, perhaps, a Political Science or International Relations major? As a modern engineer, I have a particular passion for international events. Traveling through China, India, Japan, and Great Britain, among others, simply reinforced my belief in the power of people from different backgrounds and beliefs working together. I am particularly enthusiastic to be able to chair the committee this year.I am assisted in the committee by Brenda McCain who will serve as the secretary and Steve Hardy who will serve as moderator. Brenda is a senior in International Studies specializing in Latin America. Steve is also a senior with a dual major in the Comparative History of Ideas and Neurobiology. I have every confidence in their abilities and I am sure that the diverse background that they bring will add considerably to the committee.
I would like to thank you for choosing to participate in the Washington State Model United Nations Conference. The world that we now live in is a closely woven net that expands well beyond the physical boarders of nations. It will, and has, touched all of us. There are problems that no one nation can solve and yet a solution is needed. To provide these solutions in an innovative, stimulating, and dynamic debate is the role that you have chosen and it is one that I am sure that you will enjoy. It is important to realize that there are no quick, simple solutions, but this makes the Model UN all the more fun. I encourage you to be thorough in your research of your country. Try to understand how it feels on issues of note, what its goals are, and consider how it would react to various proposals. Be as accurate as you can, and come with a sense of adventure.
I am looking forward to seeing you in the spring and listening to your ideas. If
you have any questions please email me at .
Sincerely,
Luke Dubord
Chair, United Nations Drug Control Program
Washington State Model United Nations Conference 2003
United Nations Drug Control Program
Washington State Model United Nations Conference 2003
A brief history and overview of the United Nations Drug Control Program
The trade in narcotics is fundamentally supported by organizations that are global in scale and such organizations have proven difficult to control by even the most powerful nation states. Narcotics production, consumption and trafficking are a realm of international crime wherein a coordinated effort by all of the nations of the world can prove very effective. For this reason the United Nations Drug Control Program was founded in 1991. Essentially, its goal is to reduce drug production, trafficking, and drug related crime.
Officially, the UNDCP operates under the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. The Executive Direction of the UN ODCCP is Antonio Maria Costa (Italy). The ODCCP that Mr. Costa heads also includes the United Nations Center for International Crime Prevention, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the International Narcotics Control Board, and the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. All of these departments are closely linked and it is evident that all assist in some way the workings of the UNDCP.
In the past there has existed much tension between member states as to both the root cause for the international narcotics problem and the best manner in which the problem should be solved. This debate primarily involved blaming the actions of other countries for domestic situations. Producers blamed the countries that consumed the product and vice versa. This international squabbling was eventually put by the wayside during the 1998 Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the World Drug Problem. The result of this session was Political Declaration S-20/2 in which “Member States pledged to significantly reduce both the demand for and supply of illegal drugs by 2008.” The UNDCP’s approach to this challenge is perhaps best described in their own words.
“UNDCP's approach to the global drug problem is multifaceted. Prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes are designed to involve grassroots organizations and businesses as well as governments. Alternative development assistance provides new economic opportunities to regions that are transitioning from opium poppy, coca and cannabis cultivation. UNDCP assists law enforcement worldwide by providing expert training in interdiction and investigation techniques and through the provision of operational equipment. UNDCP collaborates with INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization to curb illicit trafficking by sharing information on global trafficking trends, smugglers' modus operandi and drug courier profiles.”
To assist in the achievement of these goals the UNDCP has established three subordinate committees, which include the Global Programme Against Money Laundering (GPAML), the Global Assessment Programme (GAP), and the Legal Assistance Programme (LAP).
The GPAML attempts to destroy the network by which money is cleaned by illegal forces. It does this primarily by working with government agencies at the national level providing relevant training, including investigative accounting. GPAML also attempts to work with member states to develop stronger legal barriers against money laundering and the executive infrastructure to back up such legislation.
GAP is one of the most interesting branches for it attempts, for the first time, to develop an international snapshot of the worldwide drug situation. By investigating trends in production, consumption, and trafficking, GAP is able to provide intelligence support to the other branches of the UNDCP. GAP has also recently announced a partnership with the European Space Agency to use Earth mapping satellites to more accurately determine the current state of drug production.
Finally, LAP works with member states to develop international drug control treaties and assists in training judicial officials in working with drug related crimes. LAP uses the same 22 field offices that are operated by the UNDCP as bases to ensure legal effectiveness and coordination.
It is evident, therefore, that despite the fact that the UNDCP is a relatively new program in the eyes of the UN it is a program that is working with a strong mandate from the General Assembly, a worldwide reach, and most importantly a coordinated, systematic and new approach to tackling the drug trade. It is a trade that brings strife to the lives of millions daily.
Topic 1: Alternative Development with regards to Crop Monitoring
Statement of the Problem
Narcotics are a big business. To the economist, narcotic trafficking is a simple example of supply and of demand. Every year billions of dollars and millions of people are involved in the production, refining, transportation and consumption of illegal narcotic substances. Narcotics are a cruel business that in no way should be romanticized. It is the brutal reality that the funds acquired from this endeavor are not used for benevolent purposes. Instead, drug funds are used to support terrorist groups, criminal syndicates and generally serve to undermine both stable, honest government and a peaceful way of life for many of the worlds inhabitants. It has been the repeated goal of the United Nations to help to put an end to the drug trade to the benefit of all member nations.
Simultaneously, however, it is realized that while there are two basic components to the equation, supply and demand, there are also two different approaches to solving the problem of demand that can be used either in isolation or congruently. The first is a law enforcement approach where all members of the drug production network are seen as willful agents of the drug cartels. This approach is characterized by military raids, crop burning, and other government interventions and is the cornerstone of the War on Drugs and the current Operation Columbia. This method became predominant as the worldwide battle against drug production initiated. With time it became evident however that this approach was simplistic and at times actually undermined its intended goal. When government forces razed the fields of narcotic farmers, they destroyed the livelihood of the farmers and increased the local populations support for the drug trade. While at first glance it may appear that these farmers were simply receiving the appropriate punishment for their crimes, a growing chorus sought to change the way in which the farmers were viewed. It is true that without the narcotics farmers the drug trade would be crippled. It was also true, however, that most of these farmers are living below the poverty line and are dependent, on average, on the drug trade for fifty percent of their total income. Thus in reality the farmers had almost no power in the drug infrastructure. By capturing the heart and souls of the farmers it would be possible to undermine the narcotic industry. In order to achieve this, however, viable alternatives must be provided to the individual farmer so that they have a viable chance at economic self-sufficiency. Thus, efforts are now spent on increasing the alternative available to farmers and freeing them from the control of narcotics traffickers
History of the Problem
Since the inception of the UNDCP there was a realization that the two aspects of drug control, supply and demand, must both be attacked to control the drug situation. Key to this initiative was the provision of sustainable alternative development. The challenges here are great. As the UNDCP states
“The realities of the illicit crops growing areas – isolation, underdevelopment, and poverty, as well as lack of markets, ethnic unrest, marginal land and absence of basic infrastructure – have led UNDCP to develop a concept of alternative development which addresses the broader socio-economic situation of the farmers and their overall quality of life.”
To meet this challenge the Action Plan on International Cooperation on the Eradication of Illicit Drug Crops and on Alternative Development was adopted by the General Assembly of the UN in 1998. This document is essential reading for discussions concerning the future and application of alternative development strategies. In short, the current programs focus on four key areas: community-based approaches, improved cooperation, gender mainstreaming, and livelihood strategies. All projects are systematically monitored and are specifically tailored to the unique situation of the persons affected.
Despite the increase in drug awareness, the recent work by the world governments and changes in the way that the battle against drugs is fought, the supply of many drugs has remained constant or increased over the past ten years. It is currently estimated that ninety percent of the world’s supply of elicit opium and coca (the unrefined basis for cocaine) originates from six countries: Afghanistan, Bolivia, Colombia, Laos, Myanmar, and Peru. One of the most interesting cases in recent memory, however, is the Afghan situation in 2000.
Prior to the American spear headed “War on Terror”, the international community largely ignored the Taliban of Afghanistan, the Taliban forbade the growing of opiates during July 2000. This ban was rigorously enforced and compliance was high. The result was a 91% decrease in the amount of opium that was produced in Afghanistan and this resulted in a worldwide drop of 35% in the raw opium available during the year 2001 as this offset was not made up for by other opium producing countries. With the elimination of Afghanistan as a supply hub, the world potential supply of opium dropped 65% between 2000 and 2001. It is interesting to note that opium prices in nearby Pakistan increased by over 400% in the latter part of 2001. After the fall of the Taliban government however, the ban was largely ignored and the opium production returned to near previous levels in 2002. The opportunity to provide Afghanistan’s farmers with sustained alternative development programs was lost in the subsequent turmoil of 2001. With the return of some stability the stage is set for such a program to now be implemented. The appropriateness, methods, and material suitable for such a mission, if it is desired, must be decided by the committee using the resources, experience and research that has already been gained in the field.
Past UN Action
The UNDCP was formed in 1991 and since then has made significant steps forward in the standardization of drug intelligence estimates and has served as a central clearing house for drug information and research. Through the use of the field branches and an extensive network of experts UNDCP approached the drug problem from a worldwide perspective. After the special session of the UN General Assembly in 1998 a series of measures were taken that directly affect the movement towards alternative development. Chief among these was the adoption of the Action Plan referenced above. This document, which was passed by the member states, gives the officially recognized definition of alternative development in addition to other important applicable guidelines.
Beginning in January 2000 UNDCP started a program in conjunction with the European Space Agency (ESA) that would use ESA satellites to obtain remote satellite sensing of suspected illicit drug production, thus allowing for the first time detailed, reliable, worldwide information on opium and coca production. This is an exciting development that should be followed closely.
The modern basis for international drug control policy is the 1998 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. This document can be referenced at . Exact knowledge of the details of the document is not needed but the general scope is important to provided consistency in the discussions of the UNDCP.
Block Positions and Possible Solutions
Few, if any, countries have an overt national policy in support of drug trafficking. This said however, the solutions to the problem are not universally consistent. The feeling in many industrialized nations is that the drug situation is best approached as a criminal activity and thus the focus should be on police action. This branch would support increased support to local police and military forces in countries that are major producers in an attempt to cut the supply at its source in international policy. In domestic policy drug users are seen as criminals as opposed to addicts needing medical attention. This has been the predominant view historically. Recent changes in thought have occurred in some countries however to a more multi-faceted approach.
Additionally, a country’s approach to the drug problem is also closely related to its position in the trafficking trade. Those countries that are historically producers place blame on those countries that are creating the demand and ask that extensive measures be taken to reduce that demand. Countries that consume narcotics, however, historically place their attention on the supply side of the equation. Those countries that serve as drug corridors hold a variety of beliefs that are usually closely related to trading partners and historical alliances. It is important that the solutions presented are consistent with the existing national policy of the governments involved
The prospect of alternative agricultural development is particularly exciting at this moment in time because of the recent out flowing of data, the recent turmoil in Afghanistan and the renewed world focus. It is widely accepted that alternative development should have a role in reducing the dependence on the drug trade that exists in some locations. It is debatable, however, as to the extent that the world body will place emphasis on this aspect of the drug battle. International support must be found, effective programs implemented and proper monitoring established to determine their actual performance in real world situations. One of the most important partners in this endeavor will be Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
Historically UNDCP has had an extremely close relationship with NGOs. UNDCP works with and monitors over 1,200 NGOs worldwide in the quest to suppress drug trafficking and use. NGOs can provide the resources, both human and financial, that can prove essential to the success of any program. Additionally, the local knowledge that NGOs bring makes them best able to interact with the local population and ensure the success of international programs. It is evident, therefore, that any solution will certainly have the use of NGOs as a central tenet.