Agadir – Morocco used its participation this week at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) to urge world leaders to intensify cooperation to confront the shifting global drug crisis.
Representing Morocco at the conference, which is taking place from March 9-13 at the Vienna International Centre in Austria, is Ambassador Azzeddine Farhane.
The annual CND session is the central policy‑making forum of the United Nations on drug issues, drawing representatives from over 2200 delegates, including Member States, UN agencies, civil society and scientific experts.
Delegates are reviewing global drug markets, emerging trafficking trends, and progress toward implementation of international drug control commitments.
“No country can tackle the world drug problem alone,” said H.E. Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan of Armenia, Chair of the Commission at the opening session, underlining the event’s focus on multilateral solutions.
Acting UNODC Executive Director John Brandolino explained that illicit markets are evolving rapidly, with a record number of new psychoactive substances detected and sophisticated trafficking methods increasingly in use.
“The international community remains committed to addressing the world drug problem, and Vienna remains the place where the world comes together to confront it,” he said.
Moroccan contributions at the general debate
Ambassador Farhane, Morocco’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Vienna, addressed the general debate of the CND, underscoring the need for a shared international response grounded in mutual trust, information‑sharing and operational coordination among States.
Farhane stressed that effective cross‑border cooperation is essential to disrupt trafficking networks and adapt to new challenges, such as synthetic drugs and digital facilitation of crime.
In a statement following Ambassador Farhane’s speech, the Embassy of Morocco in Austria reiterated what it presented as Rabat’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism in curbing some of the world’s most pressing drug-related challenges.
“Looking ahead to the 2029 Ministerial Conference, Morocco calls for enhanced global cooperation, stronger early-warning systems on synthetic drugs, and better information-sharing among States,” it said.