Good afternoon, distinguished colleagues and friends.

Welcome to the side event Development Dimensions of Drug Policy: Exploring New Challenges, Opportunities, and Emerging Issues.

This is an important conversation. Drug policy remains one of the least represented issues in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs mention drugs only in the context of substance abuse - a narrow framing.

In reality, the global illicit drug economy, estimated at more than 600 billion dollars, has profound implications for health, human rights, livelihoods, security, the environment, and development. For decades, punitive responses associated with the so-called “war on drugs” have dominated, often with devastating consequences for individuals, families, communities, and entire economies.

Today, we benefit from a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the far-reaching impacts of drug policies. We know that both production and control measures carry serious environmental costs. We know that the proliferation of new substances poses complex public health challenges. And we know that punitive approaches have led to severe human rights violations.

Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, UNDP has worked to broaden the understanding of drug policy, extending beyond the security frame, to a development frame with significant human and health impacts. UNDP works on rights and access to services for key HIV populations, including people who use drugs, in 97 countries. Through its partnership with the Global Fund, UNDP has supported HIV programmes in 57 countries, reaching 86,245 people who use drugs with essential services. We work to deliver the UN System Common Position on Drugs, that calls on us to work through partnerships grounded in human rights, health, and science.

And I am pleased that today we launch the third paper in UNDP’s series on the development dimensions of drug policy.

This new paper addresses today’s increasingly complex landscape:

• the rise of synthetic drugs,
• the diversification of drug markets,
• the emergence of regulated cannabis and psychedelics frameworks and the risks of their “corporate capture,”
• as well as the growing effects of drug production and control on climate and biodiversity.

The paper also proposes a way forward, highlighting innovative, pragmatic, and people-centered approaches that are evidence- and rights-based.

These approaches prioritize health, human rights, and sustainable development. They ensure meaningful community participation and remove legal barriers to prevention, treatment, care, and support services, making sure that we leave no one behind.

While there is still a lot of work to be done, around the world Member States - including my home country, Brazil - are showing that it is possible to safeguard human rights, respect minorities and Indigenous peoples, address the disproportionate impacts on women and youth, and deliver better health and development outcomes for people who use drugs.

We hope today’s conversation will inspire many more.

It is now my great honour to introduce His Excellency Ernesto Zedillo, Commissioner of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, distinguished scholar, and former President of Mexico.

A very warm welcome to Commissioner Zedillo - and to all of you. Thank you.