Undersecretary of State Mantovano at the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alfredo Mantovano is heading up the Italian delegation that is in Vienna today and tomorrow to attend the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), a policymaking body within the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Undersecretary of State Mantovano delivered an address during today's plenary session, also in his capacity as President of the Pompidou Group (a group for cooperation on the fight against drug abuse and drug trafficking). He then met with Kevin Sabet and Judge Christine Carpenter to discuss the American model of drug courts, which are specific treatment courts for prisoners with a long history of crime and addiction, and went on to have a bilateral with the Minister of the Interior of Ghana, Henry Quartey, as well as a meeting with the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Rahul Gupta. Lastly, he attended a side event organised by Italy in collaboration with Switzerland.

During today's addresses and meetings, Undersecretary of State Mantovano had the opportunity to underline the Italian Government's strong focus on the issue of drugs, addiction, abuse and high-risk behaviour, highlighting the commitment it has undertaken by recently approving and presenting a national plan to prevent the misuse of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Said plan is based on the principle of building networks to safeguard citizens' health and on the fact that no right exists to take drugs, but rather there is a duty to prevent and combat the harm drugs can cause. Undersecretary of State Mantovano then announced a EUR 120 thousand commitment by the Italian Government to finance the UNODC's prevention activities and reiterated that it welcomed the new European Union Drugs Agency regulation coming into force.

The CND, headquartered in Vienna, is the United Nations policymaking body that guides international action against drugs, meeting in March every year. The Italian delegation is made up of representatives from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Department for Drug Policies, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health.