The Qatari official indicated that Doha is pleased to contribute to global humanitarian and development efforts and will maintain the principles of collaboration, cooperation and solidarity.

Qatar has urged the international community to take swift and effective measures to safeguard people and future generations from drugs.

Sultan bin Salmeen Al Mansouri, Qatar’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said action was required in accordance to the principle of public and shared responsibility, while speaking at the 66th session of the Commission on Narcotic Substances in Vienna, Qatar News Agency reported.

“Qatar has given priority to prevention efforts, immunising society and educating it on the harm and dangers of drugs,” he said.

“This was one of the most important factors for the success of its policy in the field of prevention and drug control, in addition to law enforcement efforts, monitoring of Qatari air and sea ports and strict application of the law.”

He continued to state that Qatar had changed its legal framework in a way that allows responding to changes in drug trafficking trends and new ways of drug smuggling, while retaining the ideals of the Gulf country’s constitution and with complete regard for human rights.

Al Mansouri indicated that Qatar was pleased to contribute to global humanitarian and development efforts and will keep upholding the principles of collaboration, cooperation and solidarity in aiding nations and people affected by economic hardship, armed conflict, poverty and debt.

“Qatar has provided many humanitarian and development contributions, especially in the framework of strategic partnerships with the UN and other leading international institutions,” he said.

He used the example of Doha’s hosting of the fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in the first week of March as a testament to Qatar’s efforts in maintaining an extended hand of help to countries in need, citing its donation of $60 million to support the Doha Programme of Action to strengthen the capacities of least developed nations.

With regards to the 2022 World Drug Report — the first since the Covid-19 pandemic — he noted: “The report presented a bleak picture of the drug situation in the world, as cocaine production reached a record high level.”

Synthetic drug seizures had sharply increased, markets were increasing, more of the youth were using drugs, and those in need of treatment—women in particular—were unable to access it, he noted.

Al Mansouri further stated that in order to battle drugs, efforts must be made in accordance with the three international drug treaties, political declarations and authorised action plans, beginning with the 2009 Declaration, as well as the mechanisms of international pluralism.

Doha Programme of Action

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani unveiled a $60 million contribution to the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) for the Least Developed Countries for the decade 2022-2031, early March.

The Qatari leader announced the major contribution during his opening address at the LDC5, held in Doha from 5-9 March.

The amir explained that $10 million out of the total amount will be allocated to support the implementation of the programme’s activities. 

The remaining amount will fund intended outcomes of the DPoA “and building resilience potential in the least developed countries.”

Adopted last year, the DPoA is an agreement aimed at bringing a total of 46 most vulnerable countries back under the global spotlight.

The agreement represented the first part of the LDC5, an event that takes place every 10 years.

“The full implementation of the DPoA will help LDCs to address the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting negative socio-economic impacts and enable them to get back on track to achieve the SDGs including addressing climate change,” the UN stated.

In 1981, Paris was the first country to ever host the UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries, where it established the Programme of Action.

The decade-long initiative aims at “transforming the economies of the least developed countries towards self-sustained development”.