DISARMAMENT – STRENGTHENING THE RULE OF THE UN OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME IN ASIAN-BASED DRUG TRAFFICKING
Drug trafficking is the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of illicit substances prohibited by national laws and by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. A large drug market is heroin, as 430-450 tons of opiates are exchanged annually around the world. Out of this number, 50 tons are of opium coming from Myanmar and Lao, while the other 380 tons are of heroin and morphine produced with Afghan opium. However, only 5 tons are produced in Afghanistan, so the remaining tons of drug come from Afghan borders. The major routes to transport heroin go through the Balkans and Northern countries, that link Afghanistan and Asia to Europe and the rest of the world. The Balkan route traverses the Republic of Iran (usually passing from Pakistan), Turkey, South-east Europe and, finally, Western Europe. The value of the business going from this route is an estimated $20 billion per year. The alternative normally route goes through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, then Kazakhstan and Russia, for an annual market of about $13 million. There is also a Southern that goes towards Africa, either to stay in the continent or reach America and Europe. The amount of money gained from the routes beginning in Afghanistan is even larger than the entire GDP of Afghanistan, and since about a third of the money gained in the illegal business remains in the country, drug trafficking is a source of wealth for Afghanistan. Opiates that are transported through East Africa often end up in Europe, while West Africa plays an important role in the trade of drugs that either remain there or go to the United States. Below is a map showing the principal flows of opiates around the world:
As we can see, opiate trafficking derives from Afghanistan and its neighboring countries, and there are three main routes coming from it that lead to Europe and Africa. Heroin is also produced in Myanmar and Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and ends mainly in Oceania. Some opiates are also cultivated and manufactured in Mexico and Colombia, although the main business in Latin America is cocaine and not opium. Asia is also emerging in the production of methamphetamine that is distributed all around the world, replacing America’s important role in the ecstasy market.
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) was established in 1997 by merging the United Nations Drug Control Program and the Centre for International Crime Prevention in order to solve the question of illicit drugs and crime in all regions around the world. Its members work towards the reduction of international terrorism and of transnational crime. The entity’s key aspects are: tackling drugs, crime and terrorism through active technical cooperation between Member States; researching and analyzing drug and crime issues to get a complete understanding and deep knowledge of them as to set up effective policies and make informed decisions; supporting countries in the implementation of treaties, legislations and services that can fulfill UNODC’s goals. The main issues that the Office on Drugs and Crime addresses regard organized crime and trafficking (the production and trade of illegal drugs, weapons, and other resources or goods), corruption (a barrier to economic and social development), drug abuse (preventing drug addiction and promoting health through educational campaigns), terrorism (avoiding terrorism with the investigation of cases linked to terrorism and support of peaceful organizations), other types of crime (setting up efficient criminal justice systems that protect equality and human rights).
SOLUTIONS BY UNODC
The United Office on Drugs and Crime came up with solutions to the issue of drug trafficking coming from West and Central Asia at a national, regional and inter-regional level. The aim is to enable security, governance and economic development in Afghanistan and its borders. The three pillars of UNODC’s measures to solve the issue are: “Law Enforcement Cooperation”, “Criminal Justice and Judicial Cooperation”, and “Social and Human Development”, and they form the three-tier approach”. One of the ideas that was put in place was the “Triangular Initiative” to enable cooperation between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran in order to stop the flow of opiates through the Balkan route. Besides, the Afghanistan-Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Initiative aims at blocking the Northern route, and the Regional Working Groups are cooperating between them and with the United Nations on all routes starting from Afghanistan. There are even other initiatives such as the Central Asia and Southern Hub initiative and organization for Transit and Destination countries in Central Asia and the Southern Caucasus that are fighting to solve drug trafficking. The reinforcement of these actions is also carried out at the maritime level regionally to tackle drug traffickers’ maritime routes. Furthermore, the UNODC has worked on the Paris Pact Initiative (PPI) to engage 58 countries and 23 organizations to stop the illicit traffic of opiates. In addition, the United Nations came up with plans for every country that should reduce the number of drugs that exit Afghanistan, its neighboring countries, and Central Asia.
LINK TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The drug issue is a threat to international Security and is illegal, implying it has to do with Peace and Justice, the 16th Goal of the SDGs. Moreover, drug trafficking is linked to health and well-being, as drugs have a negative and irreversible impact on the people who use them and can lead to diseases that damage their health. Therefore, addressing this problem would mean reducing significantly the money traded on the black market and would reduce the number of illnesses and disease due to drugs, including HIV/AIDS and brain corrosion.
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