The 69th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the main international forum on drug-related issues, opened on March 9 under the chairmanship of Armenia.
The session is chaired by Armenia’s Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the international organizations in Vienna.
The five-day meeting is attended by more than 2,000 delegates from around 130 member states, as well as over 100 international, regional and non-governmental organizations, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.
Discussions during the session will focus on the global drug problem, policies aimed at addressing it and international cooperation. Participants are also expected to adopt several normative decisions related to the sector.
The Commission will consider five draft resolutions aimed, in particular, at strengthening mechanisms for the early prevention and control of synthetic drugs and precursors, preventing the illicit use of equipment and supply chains for their production and trafficking, and enhancing public health responses and alternative development programmes.
The Commission will also review recommendations by the World Health Organization on adding new substances to international drug control conventions.
The session is expected to finalize the establishment of a new multidisciplinary expert group to assist the Commission in reviewing the implementation of the conventions.
About 170 side events and 24 exhibitions will be held during the session.
Armenia has been a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs since 2024 and holds the chairmanship for 2026.
