Annual Thematic Discussions of the CND 2020 (thematic discussions) were held on October 19-21, 2020 in Vienna during the 3rd inter-sessional meeting of the CND.

The event of 2020 under COVID-19 conditions was held at the Vienna International Center in a hybrid format (with partial personal participation of delegates combined with virtual participation via videoconference).

Representatives of CARICC took part in the thematic discussions as observers in videoconference mode.

Annual thematic debates share best practices, challenges and lessons learned by Member States in implementing all international drug policy commitments and are a key part of the forward-looking process led by the CND.

In the 2019 Ministerial Declaration, Member States, while recognizing the tangible progress made over the past decade, noted with concern the persisting and emerging challenges posed by the world drug problem and committed to accelerating the response to meet all commitments, operational recommendations and set goals.

In the analytical part of the 2019 Declaration, Member States identified a number of challenges to effective implementation of international commitments, and in discussions held in 2020 they brought them to the attention of delegates. The Commission's thematic discussions were preceded by opening speeches and presentations by UNODC representatives.

The three-day format of the event, designed to reach a global audience, included discussions with participation of experts from each regional group, experts from other relevant United Nations organizations, international organizations and specialized agencies, including representatives of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as experts from civil society.

In particular, they discussed drug treatment, increasing number of deaths from drug use, adverse health effects and risks associated with new psychoactive substances (NPS) that have reached alarming levels worldwide, etc.

The discussion touched upon the topic of mechanisms and deadlines for establishing international control over NPS. The necessity of introducing mechanisms for early warning of the properties and harm of the first-time detected NPS, introduction of accelerated methods of collection, analysis of relevant information and development of methodologies for their research was especially emphasized.      

Speakers and delegates stressed the need to strengthen mechanisms for cooperation and speedy information exchange, to establish and expand public-private partnership mechanisms at national and international levels, to make efforts to address problematic issues in a timely manner and to remove obstacles to practical interaction.