26 May 1987

14th plenary meeting

United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control

The Economic and Social Council,

Reaffirming the importance of the Declaration on the Control of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse contained in General Assembly resolution 39/142 of 14 December 1984, in which the Assembly declared, inter alia, that the illegal production of, illicit demand for, abuse of and illicit trafficking in drugs impeded economic and social progress, constituted a grave threat to the security and development of many countries and peoples and should be combated by all moral, legal and institutional means at the national, regional and international levels, and that the eradication of trafficking in narcotic drugs was the collective responsibility of all States, especially those affected by problems relating to illicit production, trafficking or abuse,

Convinced that the world-wide character and the new dangerous dimensions of the drug-related phenomena require urgent action for the implementation of a dynamic and comprehensive international response, based on a concerted effort by all States,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 2719 (XXV) of 15 December 1970, in which the Assembly welcomed the establishment of the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control in pursuance of the request made by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1559 (XLIX) of 11 November 1970,

Recalling also the numerous resolutions of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs commending the positive action of the Fund in supporting prevention, law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation programmes, as well as integrated rural development projects, including projects for the substitution of illegal crops, in the most severely affected areas,

Acknowledging the vital role of the Fund in enhancing the multilateral approach to the provision of international assistance in this field,

Noting with satisfaction that, in recent years, the Fund has considerably extended its activities and programmes, thus becoming an effective, flexible and operational tool of multilateral co-operation, and the depository of a high degree of professionalism and specialization, in combating illegal drug production, trafficking and abuse,

Noting also the continuing collaboration and calls for increased co-operation between the Fund and the other entities of the United Nations system responsible for drug abuse control, in particular the Division of Narcotic Drugs and the International Narcotics Control Board, as well as the close co-operation with the United Nations Development Programme,

Recognizing that the increased level of voluntary contributions and the growing political support from many Governments to the Fund, its expanded programme of action and the broadened scope of its technical co-operation activities, make it necessary to adapt the administrative and operational procedures of the Fund so that they are commensurate with the increasing responsibilities entrusted to it and the rising expectations of Member States, thus strengthening its operational flexibility and reinforcing its capacity to respond to the urgent needs of developing countries,

Noting with concern that only a very small number of Governments are currently providing the bulk of the financial contributions to the Fund and that its resources are not yet sufficient to enable it to respond adequately to the gravity of existing needs,

1. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General and the Executive Director of the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control for the initiative and leadership that have characterized the development of the Fund;

2. Endorses the recently adopted policy-approach of the Fund, based on the formulation and implementation of national and regional plans, referred to as "master plans", in which both donor and assistance-receiving countries are actively involved;

3. Encourages the Fund to continue:

(a) To build up, on an international basis, with the assistance of the competent bodies of the United Nations system and other international bodies, and the continuous collaboration of interested Governments, in terms of political and financial support, the capacity to respond to national, regional, interregional and global needs in the field of drug abuse control;

(b) To extend systematic and sustained assistance to countries and regions, with particular attention to developing ones, at their request, so as to enable them to combat more effectively their drug abuse problems through the formulation and execution of technical co-operation activities, the direct monitoring of the implementation of projects and programmes, the close supervision of the execution of projects and programmes, the evaluation of the results achieved, the designation, as appropriate, of executing agencies, including Government institutions and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, fund-raising and the proper management of the resources of the Fund;

(c) To play its important role in the United Nations system as an effective operational instrument to further the implementation of policy recommendations to deal with drug abuse and to act as an innovative and catalytic agent on the United Nations system as a whole;

4. Decides that the Executive Director of the Fund shall report regularly on the activities and programmes of the Fund to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and to the Economic and Social Council when the Council considers the report of the Commission;

5. Recommends that the General Assembly give appropriate consideration to the Fund under the relevant item of its agenda;

6. Recommends that the Executive Director of the Fund, in view of the very delicate nature of his responsibilities, should be able to report direct to the Secretary-General, when appropriate and necessary;

7. Requests the Executive Director of the Fund to take the necessary steps to strengthen its technical capability and enhance its effectiveness and incisiveness in the delivery of drug abuse control programmes;

8. Reiterates the invitation to the appropriate specialized agencies and other organizations and programmes of the United Nations system concerned to initiate and continue programmes aimed at the reduction of illicit production and demand for drugs, in close co-operation with and incorporating the experience of the Fund;

9. Expresses its appreciation to Governments for both regular and earmarked contributions to the Fund;

10. Appeals to Governments to continue and to substantially increase their contributions to the Fund;

11. Calls upon those Governments that have not yet done so to consider contributing to the Fund;

12. Requests the Executive Director of the Fund, in preparing the next report on the activities of the Fund for submission to Commission on Narcotic Drugs, to highlight the progress achieved in the implementation of the present resolution.