THEME: "THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR – INVEST IN PREVENTION. BREAK THE CIRCLE. #STOPORGANIZEDCRIME"

The African Union joins the international community in commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, also known as the World Drug Day with renewed urgency and unwavering resolve. We reaffirm our strong commitment to advancing a comprehensive, public health–oriented and rights-based approach to drug policy.  This year’s theme, “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention. Break the Circle. #StopOrganizedCrime”, reminds us that the path to a safer, healthier Africa begins with prevention, compassion and collective action. The Commission highlights the importance of investing in prevention to reduce drug-related harms and dismantle the economic foundations of transnational organised crime networks operating across Africa due to porous borders.

The burden of drug use and illicit trafficking continues to rise on the continent. Current estimates indicate that millions of people in Africa use drugs, with a projected increase by 2030, the fastest regional growth rate globally, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2023. Cannabis remains the most widely used, while non-medical use of synthetic opioids such as tramadol and the increasing trafficking of methamphetamine are contributing to emerging health and security challenges. Limited access to treatment, rehabilitation services and under-resourced prevention systems compound the risks, particularly among youth and marginalised populations.

Illicit drug trafficking is not only a threat to public health, but also a corrosive force that fuels organised crime, destabilises communities and undermines the rule of law. It exploits poverty, preys on youth and deepens cycles of vulnerability. As the African Union, we stand united in our commitment to dismantling these networks and protecting the dignity and future of our people. Through the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, the African Union has led the implementation of a robust continental framework for drug control, grounded in the following key policy instruments:

• African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019–2025), advocating for integrated approaches to prevention, treatment, harm reduction and supply reduction;
• Common African Position for the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem;
• Common African Position for the Mid-term Review of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration on Strengthening Actions at the National, Regional and Continental levels to accelerate the Implementation of Joint Commitments to Address and Counter the World Drug Problem, underscoring Africa’s emphasis on public health, development and human rights; and
• Cairo Declaration (2023) and Lusaka High-Level Declaration (2024) on addressing drug use and substance use disorders among youth, women and children, embedding gender- and age-sensitive principles in national strategies.

Key Continental Achievements

Significant milestones recorded under AU leadership, in collaboration with its Member States and partners, include:

• Establishment of drug use epidemiology sentinel surveillance systems in 35 AU Member States, strengthening early warning capabilities and evidence-informed policymaking;
• Annual Continental Consultations on Drug Demand Reduction and Epidemiology since 2015, advancing data harmonisation, technical exchange, and coordination among Member States;
• Organisation of the Continental Consultations on Synthetic Drug Supply Reduction, reinforcing regional cooperation on tackling methamphetamine, tramadol and precursor chemical trafficking;
• The training of 6,215 professionals in 26 African countries in the Universal Prevention Curriculum (UPC), Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) and Universal Recovery Curriculum (URC) for drug dependency through strategic partnerships with the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme, the UNODC and the International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals; and
• Provision of targeted support to national competent authorities to improve the availability and accessibility of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes, while ensuring safeguards against diversion and misuse through collaboration with the International Narcotics Control Board.

Critical Role of Young People, includes:

• The establishment of National Youth Corps for Drug Prevention, formally linked to national drug control institutions; and
• The First African Union Youth Forum on Drug Use Prevention, held in Lusaka, Zambia, in 2023, promoting youth-led solutions and peer education strategies;

Culturally grounded and Community-based models, such as:

• The launch of the Southern Africa Network of Traditional Leaders in Drug Demand Reduction (SANTLDDR) in April 2024; and
• The creation of national networks of traditional leaders in several AU Member States, reinforcing local responses to prevention, treatment, care and stigma reduction.

The African Union continues to champion a gender-responsive and age-appropriate approach, ensuring that strategies are inclusive, equity-driven and aligned with broader health, social protection and development goals. The Cairo and Lusaka Declarations provide normative guidance to AU Member States in addressing the intersecting vulnerabilities faced by youth, women and children affected by drug use.

As Africa marks this important day, the African Union calls on its Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), civil society, youth leaders and international partners to join us in breaking the circle.  Let us intensify investments in prevention, an evidence-based cost-effective and transformative pillar of drug policy, uphold human rights and build a future where organised crime has no place in our communities.  Robust prevention not only protects individual and public health, but it is essential to disrupt the enabling environment for organised criminal syndicates, which exploit weak enforcement systems, poverty and institutional gaps.

Together, we can #StopOrganizedCrime and safeguard the health, hope and humanity of our continent.

I thank you.