E - Economic and Social Council - Statement submitted by the Global Initiative Against

The ESACD was convened after a series of multi - stakeholder meetings, including with the Global Commission on Drug Policy, who expressed the need for a regional and expert-led initiative to respond to the drug issues in the region. [...] This paper outlines how the ESACD can support the work of the CND in the promotion of efforts to address the challenges that all countries face in developing and implementing effective drug policies based on evidence, human rights, and the rule of law. [...] CND and ESACD The ESACD presents this paper as a summary of how it can seek to contribute to the work of the CND by proposing measures that can strengthen the national, regional and international responses to the challenges of drug trafficking and the harms of __________________ 3 Jason Eligh, A powder storm: The cocaine markets of East and Southern Africa, GI -TOC, December 2022. [...] Secondly, the ESACD aims to promote public advocacy and campaigning to promote dialogue and engagement among national and regional bodies, to encourage and empower them to prioritize drug policy reform and enhance cooperation in response to drug trafficking and the harms of illicit drug use, both among themselves and with civil society organizations. [...] Some of the meetings planned in the coming months include a discussion to be convened in Maputo on the implementation of national policies on the legalization of cannabis; a high-level meeting in Zanzibar to consult with and listen to civil society voices on the most pressing drug policy challenges in the region; a meeting with civil society and parliamentarians in Kenya to encourage discussion of.