Discurso do Embaixador Antonio Patriota por ocasião da Sessão Especial da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas sobre o Problema Mundial das Drogas – Nova York, 20 de abril de 2016 [Inglês]

Ambassador Mogens Lykketoft, President of this Special Session,
Excellencies Heads of State and Government,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Brazil welcomes this special session of the United Nations General Assembly on the World Drug Problem.

Despite progress since the 1998 Special Session, it is imperative to recognize that the World Drug Problem – given its complexity and multidimensional nature – remains a challenge to our national, regional and international efforts.

Among the challenges we must all face are: deaths caused by problematic drug use; the prevalence of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis; low levels of access to treatment; compulsory treatment; as well as the incarceration of drug users.

This is why this UNGASS 2016 couldn’t be more timely. It is an opportunity to critically assess our responses to the World Drug Problem and seek a consensus on more balanced, effective and humane policies.

Brazil has been fully engaged in this process. The evaluation of our policies, which we have undertaken, is already an important legacy of this process. I take this opportunity to reaffirm the importance of the dialogue and close cooperation we have established with civil society organizations. They have been key partners in all our endeavors.

I also underscore the centrality of the cooperation and coordination with all Latin American and Caribbean countries, through regional entities such as CELAC - the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean States, UNASUR - the Union of South American Nations, and MERCOSUR. Our common views are much more relevant than inevitable differences stemming from national circumstances.

Brazil is committed to the implementation of evidence-based drug policies, with a balanced, multidisciplinary and integrated approach. Respect for human rights and an emphasis on public health issues are at the core of this approach.

We firmly seek to strengthen our policies to counter the supply of drugs, focusing on the strongest links of organized crime and money laundering. Our capacity to detect and schedule new substances is becoming more and more efficient. At the same time, we seek to ensure the availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific use.

Our demand reduction policies are based on prevention, voluntary treatment, care and social reintegration. These policies recognize the importance of harm reduction programs and of preventing the stigmatization and marginalization of drug users.

Our legal framework emphasizes these aspects and determines that drug users should not be subject to incarceration. Ensuring the appropriate and fair application of these laws, however, remains a challenge.

In 2011, our Government launched an ambitious national program that invested approximately 2 billion dollars over four years in activities of prevention, care and public security.

Ninety percent of these resources were allocated to public health and social assistance networks. This points to an important rebalancing in our efforts. It is a recognition that an effective drug policy should not focus on combating a substance, but rather on the health and welfare of humankind.

Mr. President,

We note with great satisfaction that the evolution of the debate in Brazil seems to be aligned with the gradual evolution of the multilateral debate on the world drug problem. In this context, we wish to praise the outcome document approved at the UNGASS. Our Joint Commitment is a step towards a positive review, in 2019, of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action of 2009.

Three points that were incorporated in the document are of particular importance to Brazil: (i) the centrality of the Three Drug Control Conventions, along with other relevant international instruments, and the recognition of their flexibility to accommodate different national perspectives; (ii) the emphasis on respect for human rights and other cross-cutting aspects, such as the gender perspective and attention to vulnerable groups; and (iii) the recognition that drug policies must focus primarily on the health and welfare of humankind.

Despite this evident positive evolution, we regret that it was not possible to include in the document a reference to an issue that is of central concern to Brazil: the abolition of the death penalty for drug-related offenses. We reiterate our view that the death penalty is a violation of the most fundamental human right, the right to life.

Mr. President,

We acknowledge that there is still much room for improvement in drug policies. In the lead up to 2019, Brazil considers it essential for the international debate on the world drug problem to incorporate two broad issues.

Firstly, we believe it is necessary to improve and diversify the indicators that are currently used to evaluate drug policies. Our understanding is that the multidimensional nature of the world drug problem demands a new metric, one that better reflects its complexity.

Secondly, we underline the importance of linking the discussions on the world drug problem with the Sustainable Development Agenda. I would highlight, especially, Goal 10, “Reduce inequality within and among countries”. Brazil considers this goal as a call for us to discuss alternative development policies that also reach the urban environment. It is also a call to incorporate a racial perspective in our drug policies, recognizing the specific needs of ethnic groups with a history of exclusion from public policies.

In conclusion, we welcome the progress achieved through the UNGASS process and underscore the need for further progress as we move towards 2019.

Thank you, Mr. President.