In a detailed statement on Friday, the Indian Embassy in Austria announced that India has been chosen to Chair the 68th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, Ambassador Shambhu S Kumaran, officially assumed the Chairmanship of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
This is the first time that India has been named to Chair this important UN body.
In a post on X, the embassy said,”India has been chosen to Chair the 68th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).
Amb @shambhukumaran officially assumed the Chairmanship of CND today.
This is the 1st time that 🇮🇳 has been named to Chair this important UN body.”
The CND is the principal policy-making body of the United Nations on drug-related matters. It is mandated to monitor global drug trends, support Member States in formulating balanced policies, and oversee implementation of the major international drug conventions. The CND is one of the functional commissions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and a Governing Body of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which is headquartered in Vienna.
As Chair, India will be expected to articulate interests of the Global South in line with its role in promoting interests and perspectives of developing nations in global discussions. India would also strive to build on ongoing work of the CND to foster dialogue and understanding on drug policy issues and especially to integrate concerns of emerging economies with the priorities of developed nations to promote holistic and balanced approaches to this key issue.