Morocco calls for coordinated global response to drug trafficking

Morocco has called for a concerted and multilateral approach to tackling the global drug problem, emphasizing international cooperation as a crucial tool in the fight against trafficking.

“Morocco has made cooperation a central pillar of its anti-drug strategy,” said Azzeddine Farhane, Morocco’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna.

Speaking Tuesday at the 68th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, held from March 10 to 14, Farhane stressed that drug-related challenges require a shared, multilateral response built on consensus.

Morocco’s cooperative efforts focus on intelligence sharing, operational collaboration, and capacity-building, particularly with African nations, including those in the Sahel. These initiatives enhance border surveillance, strategic intelligence exchanges, and law enforcement capabilities to combat transnational crime, he said.

The growing threats posed by synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances, coupled with increasingly sophisticated trafficking methods and links to organized crime, demand a stronger global response, the diplomat warned. “Now more than ever, we must step up efforts to renew international consensus and strengthen cooperation at sub-regional, regional, and international levels,” he said.

Farhane also highlighted the importance of technical assistance in supporting anti-drug policies, particularly in Africa. He outlined Morocco’s “comprehensive and integrated” strategy, which targets both drug supply and demand while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights principles. Civil society and other stakeholders play a key role in its implementation, he underlined.

As part of this strategy, Morocco has adopted a National Plan for the Prevention and Management of Addictive Disorders (2024-2030), aimed at reducing addiction-related mortality and ensuring universal access to quality prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services.

Moroccan law enforcement agencies have intensified efforts, seizing 1,777 tons of cannabis resin, 1,222 tons of cannabis herb, 6.48 tons of cocaine, 38 kg of heroin, and more than 8 million psychotropic tablets between 2020 and 2024, Farhane said.

On the legislative front, Morocco continues to update its legal framework to align with international human rights standards and criminal justice reforms, he added.

In a related initiative, Morocco, alongside France and Brazil, has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs addressing the environmental impact of drugs. “This is the first resolution dedicated to this issue, aiming to highlight the environmental consequences of drug production and trafficking,” Farhane said.