The alternative development interventions by UNODC in 2024 amounted to $40 million, implemented mainly in Afghanistan, Bolivia, Colombia, Laos, Myanmar, Peru and with important technical exchanges with Thailand. Thanks to the increasing contributions of Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, South Korea, STFA and the European Union, UNODC will continue to strengthen its technical assistance where necessary.
UNODC has also developed new partnerships in 2023 and 2024 with Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria, as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the latter having included alternative development in their drug control strategy, approved in November 2024.
Since 2016, the Governments of Germany, Peru, the Kingdom of Thailand, and UNODC co-organize “Expert Group Meetings on Alternative Development” (EGMs on AD). These meetings serve as a platform for an open debate between AD experts from Member States (MS), relevant United Nations (UN) agencies, civil society and academia to exchange knowledge, best practices and lessons learned on the topic of AD.
The EGM’s discussions are reflected in Conference Room Papers (CRP) submitted to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and serve as a key reference to draft resolutions tabled by the Governments of Germany, Peru, and the Kingdom of Thailand, adopted by the CND.
The EGM’s discussions are reflected in Conference Room Papers (CRP) submitted to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and serve as a key reference to draft resolutions tabled by the Governments of Germany, Peru, and the Kingdom of Thailand, adopted by the CND.
It is important to recall that the 2013 United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP) on Alternative Development were endorsed by the UN General Assembly, with 10 salient points:
Based on the preliminary recommendations shared during the Expert Group Meeting on Alternative Development held in Bangkok in 2024 and the lessons learnt during the last 15 years, a resolution on the complementation of the UN guiding principles on alternative development at the 68th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drug was adopted by Member States.
The last edition of the EGM on AD took place in Lima (Peru), co-hosted by Germany, Thailand, and UNODC, with the aim to provide recommendations to complement the UNGP on AD, taking into account current, persistent and evolving challenges with a view to reinforcing and enhancing the effectiveness of AD programmes, for consideration by the CND at its 69th session in March 2026.
