The United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) was established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 45/179 of December 21, 1990 as the single body responsible for concerted international action for drug abuse control. The program integrated fully the structures and the functions of the Division of Narcotic Drugs (Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) of the Secretariat, the secretariat of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control (UNFDAC) with the objective of enhancing effectiveness and efficiency in implementing the functions and mandates of the United Nations in this field. The fund of UNDCP was established by the General Assembly to replace UNFDAC as of January 1, 1992.
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is the central policy-making body within the United Nations system for dealing with all drug-related matters. It analyzes the world drug abuse situation and develops proposals to strengthen international drug control. The commission's mandate was enlarged in 1991 to include approval of the budget of the program of the Fund of UNDCP and the administrative and program support cost budget of the fund.
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)-an independent treaty body-is composed of 13 members elected by ECOSOC. Members of the Board serve in their personal capacity, not as government representatives. It is the board's responsibility to promote government compliance with the provisions of the international drug control treaties and to assist them in this effort.
The program provides advice, support and secretariat services to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and to the International Narcotics Control Board.
Office of the Executive Director
The office is responsible for providing the Executive Director with the necessary support and assistance to enable him to carry out his day-to-day management functions.
Policy, Planning and Evaluation Office
The Policy, Planning and Evaluation Office (PPEO) plans the strategic development of the program; coordinates the preparation of the Medium-Term Plan and the work plans of the program; analyses policy issues and advises the Executive Director in the conceptualization and establishment of the policies of the program. The unit also elaborates methodological approaches to evaluation and plans and coordinates the evaluation activities of the program.
Resources Mobilization and Interagency Coordination Office
The Resource Mobilization and Interagency Coordination Office (RMICO) is responsible for the development of fund-raising strategies to support the program and for coordinating their implementation. The office also coordinates UNDCP cooperation with other entities of the United Nations common system and nongovernmental organizations.
Division for Treaty Implementation and Support Services
The Division for Treaty Implementation and Support Services is entrusted with the fulfillment, on behalf of the Executive Director, of the responsibilities devolving upon the Secretary-General under the drug control conventions and instruments as well as relevant inter-governmental resolutions. It monitors the implementation of relevant treaty provisions, inter-governmental resolutions and decisions, Secretary-General's directives and United Nations regulations and rules. It promotes adherence to the international drug control treaties and their effective implementation by states. The division provides program support for all UNDCP activities and is charged with the management of the human and financial resources of the program. The division is responsible for the development and management of a program-wide integrated information system. It also manages registry and archive services for the program.
Treaty Implementation and Legal Affairs Branch
The Treaty Implementation and Legal Affairs Branch coordinates and supports the implementation of, and reporting on, the program's treaty-based activities and the responsibilities entrusted to the program by inter-governmental mandates. The branch advises and assists member states, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and other inter-governmental bodies on matters relating to treaty implementation. Further, it ensures secretariat and substantive services to inter-governmental organs, including the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, committees and conferences dealing with drug control matters.
Secretariat of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
The Secretariat of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs is responsible for ensuring secretariat services to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and its subsidiary bodies; for finalizing the preparation of documentation on drug-related matters for the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly; and for ensuring, on behalf of the Executive Director, the discharge of certain specific functions entrusted to the Secretary-General under the international drug control treaties.
Legal Affairs Section
The Legal Affairs Section is responsible for acting as the depository of relevant legal information; providing requesting states, as well as the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) or relevant expert group meetings with legal advice on the implementation of the international drug control treaties and related matters; providing legal advice to the Executive Director and the program, including advice on treaty implementation and technical cooperation activities.
Secretariat of the International Narcotics Control Board
The INCB secretariat is responsible for providing secretariat and substantive services to the board in the execution of its functions under the drug control treaties; acting on behalf of the board between the treaty-mandated sessions by monitoring and promoting treaty compliance by governments and by helping to ensure the functioning of the international control systems for narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals; and coordinating and reviewing substantive inputs from other parts of UNDCP for the work of the board.
Program Support Section
The Program Support Section is responsible for managing the financial resources of the Fund of UNDCP; serving as liaison with the Personnel Service of the United Nations Office at Vienna with regard to actions for UNDCP staff; and for carrying out administrative support tasks including travel and procurement arrangements for technical cooperation projects executed by UNDCP. The section also manages registry and archive services for the program.
Information Resources Management Branch
IRMB designs, implements, manages, provides technical support for and ensures security of an integrated information system. The branch develops and updates a global drug information technology strategy, promotes international norms for the electronic exchange of drug-related data and information and facilitates the exchange of such information among bodies of the United Nations common system and other organizations and with member states. The branch also provides advice on and implements cost effective office automation practices.
Division for Operational Activities and Technical Services
The Division for Operational Activities and Technical Services is responsible for coordinating all technical cooperation activities of the program, both at Headquarters and the field offices, and assists governments in the development and implementation of drug control programs. It also serves as the repository of technical expertise in international drug control for the United Nations, as well as for member states. In that capacity it provides advice on questions of international and national drug control and support to the program's treaty-based functions.
Operational Activities Branch
The Operational Activities Branch coordinates all technical cooperation activities of the program and of the field offices. It assists governments, at their request, in the development and implementation of national, sub-regional, regional and global programs aimed at reducing illicit cultivation, production, manufacture, traffic in and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as well as trafficking in precursors used in their illicit manufacture and improving the effectiveness of control over the licit supply of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The branch provides direction and guidance to the regional sections on operational policies relating to technical cooperation in drug control matters. It coordinates inter-regional program activities and supervises all reporting activities related to the inter-regional program. The branch monitors, analyses and reports on resource utilization of the fund with regard to technical cooperation activities, inter alia, on the basis of information provided by Program Support Service (PSS). It consults with the Technical Service Branch which provides technical advice on programs and projects. The branch also executes thematic technical cooperation projects.
Regional Sections
Each regional section provides overall policy guidance to the field offices as well as ensures coordination of program development in the region. Each regional section is responsible for managing drug abuse control programs supported by UNDCP and for guiding the field offices in assisting governments to plan and promote drug control policies and activities through UNDCP country, sub-regional and regional programs and projects. Communications between UNDCP and governments on operational activities are channeled through or coordinated by the section and the field offices in the region.
Technical Services Branch
The Technical Services Branch serves as the repository of technical expertise in international drug control for the United Nations, as well as for member states, and in that capacity, advises them on questions of international and national drug control. It provides technical advice and services to states, as well as to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and its subsidiary bodies, the International Narcotics Control Board and expert groups. The branch undertakes analytical and research work, participates in the development of UNDCP drug control strategies and makes recommendations to ensure consistency of substantive activities of the program in terms of standards and quality. Expertise is provided in the following areas: demand reduction, reduction of supply and trafficking, including precursors and money laundering, scientific support, research and analysis; and institution building through training and advisory services.
Demand Reduction Section
The section is the focal point for expertise in the field of demand reduction, which includes the fields of assessment of drug abuse, educational programs, treatment, rehabilitation, social re-integration and community mobilization.
Supply Reduction Section
The section is the focal point for expertise in the field of supply reduction which includes illicit traffic suppression, money laundering countermeasures, halting of precursors and licit drugs diversion, promotion of the use of advanced technological aids, including satellite imaging for detection of illicit crops, of safe methods of eradication of illicit plants and of replacement of illicit crops through alternative development.
Research and Scientific Section
The unit is the focal point for drug abuse control-related research, which includes the continued development of UNDCP research capacity and of the related research network (partnerships, grants, research fellowships); the systematic processing and dissemination of information concerning research results and new methodologies through reviews and other publications; and the promotion of original research and the application of new findings at national and international levels.
Field Offices
The field office is responsible for advising governments on drug control matters and for assisting them in developing and implementing national drug control policies and programs. The field office also carries out the program's normative functions such as promoting adherence to the international drug control treaties and assisting governments to implement the Global Program of Action.
From the United Nations International Drug Control Program.
