30 July 1992

41st plenary meeting

Improvement of the functioning of the subsidiary bodies of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

The Economic and Social Council,

Taking note of the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme on the nature, frequency and duration of the meetings of heads of national drug law enforcement agencies, requested by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its thirty-fourth session, and the Commission's comments thereon at its thirty-fifth session,

Welcoming the possibility of more active participation of the Customs Cooperation Council and the International Criminal Police Organization in the meetings of subsidiary bodies of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs,

Aware of the ongoing examination of possible ways of scheduling various regional meetings related to drug law enforcement of United Nations bodies and organizations and intergovernmental organizations so as to increase cooperation between those bodies and organizations and to avoid duplication of effort and overlapping,

I

1. Decides to approve the application by Iraq for membership in the Subcommission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East;

2. Endorses in principle that, for the regional meetings of heads of national drug law enforcement agencies, membership should be based on membership in the respective regional commissions;

3. Reiterates that observer status in all subsidiary bodies of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs is open to all States requesting such status;

II

4. Decides that in future the Subcommission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East shall, in principle, meet annually for a period of five days in one of the countries covered by the region of the Subcommission;

5. Confirms that the Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, African Region, the Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Asia and the Pacific Region, and the Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Latin American and Caribbean Region, shall each continue to meet annually in a country of their respective regions;

6. Decides that the Second Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, European Region, shall convene in 1993 at the United Nations Office at Vienna;

7. Invites the Second Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, European Region, to review its schedule of future meetings, taking into account regional meetings organized by the International Criminal Police Organization;

III

8. Invites the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to continue to explore possible means of rationalizing the schedule of regional meetings related to drug law enforcement so as to avoid duplication of effort and possibly free resources that could be used for other meetings;

9. Requests the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to examine further, on a regular basis, the functioning of its subsidiary bodies.