Today, the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with the support of the European Union, co-hosted a side event at the 68th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), taking place this week in Vienna.
Entitled Shaping the future: preparedness for a changing drug landscape, the event explored innovative tools, processes and collaborative strategies to enhance Member States’ readiness to tackle the rapidly evolving global drug environment. Experts, policymakers and stakeholders from various countries attended the event to engage in dynamic discussions on proactive approaches to emerging drug-related challenges.
Ambassador Carl Hallergård, Head of Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna, chaired the side event and emphasised the importance of enhanced international cooperation to effectively address the complexities of today's drug landscape. UNODC Executive Director Ghada Fathi Waly, welcomed the participants and highlighted the need for aligning efforts to ensure that global responses remain adaptive and effective in countering new threats.
The discussions proceeded with a series of expert presentations, beginning with Alexis Goosdeel, EUDA Executive Director, who introduced the agency's expanded role and its new activities 'from monitoring to preparedness and support to action'. Justice Tettey, Chief of the UNODC Drugs, Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch, followed with a presentation 'Predict, Prevent and Protect'. He outlined four key factors in addressing synthetic drugs: multilateralism, early warning, counter-narcotic interventions and health responses. Alexander Caudarella, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) concluded the presentations with an address 'A Strategic, Balanced Approach: A New Playbook for Partnership and Community-wide Solutions'. He stressed the importance of listening to local communities and engaging them in decision-making processes to ensure that policy responses are tailored to specific local needs.
The event underscored the urgency of strengthening governance, countering organised crime and mitigating the societal harms of drug-related activities. Criminal networks continue to infiltrate communities, exacerbating violence and drawing vulnerable populations into illicit activities. By fostering partnerships and sharing best practices, the discussions aimed to empower countries to implement effective and sustainable solutions that enhance resilience against emerging drug threats.
