The Intergovernmental Expert Working Groups

At the 51st CND in March 2008, an EU resolution (51/4) laid out the framework for taking forward the UNGASS review process. As noted above, it was decided to establish five "open-ended intergovernmental expert working groups" to prepare reports which will feed into the high level segment of the 52nd CND in 2009. These five working groups are focussed on:
1: Supply reduction (manufacture and trafficking).
2: Countering-money laundering and promoting judicial cooperation.
3: International cooperation on the eradication of illicit drug crops and on alternative development.
4: Drug demand reduction.
5: Control of precursors and amphetamine type stimulants (ATS).

The meetings for the groups are scheduled as follows; the UN documents outlining the meeting agendas and areas for discussion are also listed, and may be accessed through the respective links.

Group 1 Supply reduction- 23rd – 25th June2008.
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.1/1 Provisional agenda…available here.
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.1/2 Secretariat discussion note…available here.
UNODC/CND/2008/WG.1/3 Report of the EWG on Supply Reduction…available here.
The IDPC’s advocacy note on this working group is available here.

Group 2 Money laundering etc- 30 June- 2 July 2008.
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.2/1 Provisional agenda…available here.
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.2/2 Secretariat discussion note…available here.
UNODC/CND/2008/WG.2/3 Report of the EWG on Money Laundering etc…available here.

Group 3 Illicit drug crops etc. - 2-4 July 2008
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.3/1 Provisional agenda…available here.
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.3/2 Secretariat discussion note…available here.
UNODC/CND/2008/WG.3/3 Report of the EWG on Illicit Drug Crops etc…available here.
The IDPC’s advocacy note on this working group is available here.

Group 4 Demand reduction- 15-17 September 2008
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.4/1 Provisional agenda…available here.
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.4/2 Secretariat discussion note…available here.
UNODC/CND/2008/WG.4/3 Report of the EWG on Drug Demand Reduction…available here.
The IDPC’s advocacy note on this working group is available here.

Group 5 Precursors etc- 17-19 September 2008
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.5/1 Provisional agenda…available here.
E/CN.7/2009/EWG.5/2 Secretariat discussion note…available here.
UNODC/CND/2008/WG.5/3 Report of the EWG on Precursors etc…available here.

IDPC has also prepared an advocacy note on issues not covered by the Working Group agenda. This note can be found here.

UN Office on Drugs and Crime
There is a page dedicated to the work of the five expert intergovernmental working groups on the UNODC website, where further documentation may be accessed. It consists of background materials available to the groups, composed mostly of conference room papers from the 51st CND, including Executive Director Antonio Costa’s ‘Fit for Purpose’ text.
The UNODC working group page is available here.