Mr. Chairman,
At the outset, let me join with previous speakers in congratulating you and bureau members on their election and assure you of our delegation’s full support and cooperation.
Mr. Chairman,
We agree with statement made by Secretary-General of the United Nations that the situation is “alarming”. As Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remarked, I quote: “… It destroys lives and impacting communities” and end quote. The numbers and statistics reported in the World Drug Report for 2018, are indeed terrifying.
It has been pointed out that the global production of opium and manufacture of cocaine has never been higher, over 450.000 people die every year from overdoses or drug-related health issues.
Mr. Chairman,
This year, we mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. In three decades, we have seen positive changes and progresses in implementation of the Convention. However, newly emerging challenges still remain.
Today, international community should stand together against this problem which hasn’t any limit of geographical boundaries and could hit every and each Member State. The necessity of cooperation, analysis sharing and strengthening of border patrols, targeting the links between drugs, corruption, arms, human trafficking and terrorist networks is vital.
Therefore, Mongolia together with 127 Member States has joined as a signatory to the “Global call to Action on the World Drug Problem” launched by the United States last week. Indeed, we congratulate the United States for their initiative and leadership on this matter.
Mr. Chairman,
As you all know, Mongolia’s population is little over 3 million and 63 percent of the population are people aged of 15-59 years old, so we’re facing a real challenge to protect our young population from becoming the targets of illegal drugs. In the past decade it has been registered 588 cases of illegal trafficking, distributing of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and 1573 people has been under investigation.
With the tendency of increase of illegal trafficking and distribution of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances to my country, the Government of Mongolia has launched the “National Program on Countering Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances” in 2017.
The World Drug Report for 2018 indicates that main markets of dangerous synthetic drug are North America, East and South-East Asia. Geographically, Mongolia belongs to North-East Asia, but South-East Asia is close to us. Thus, I could say that the danger is right in front of our door.
We do call all Member States and UN organizations to collaborate in the field of better coordination, information sharing and capacity building of law enforcements on combating against world drug problem.
Mr. Chairman
In conclusion, my delegation reiterates its full commitment to cooperate on fighting against world drug problem.
I thank you.