African Union Continental Consultation on Synthetic Drug Supply Reduction

Gaborone, Botswana I 27 August 2025

Closing Remarks

H.E. Amb. Amma Twum-Amoah,

Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs

 and Social Development

African Union Commission

Honourable Assistant Minister for State President,

Your Excellency of Ambassador of Morocco to South Africa,

Mr Director General, Drug Enforcement Agency,

Distinguished Delegates,

Esteemed Partners,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we draw this landmark consultation to a close, I stand before you filled with both urgency and hope. Over the past days, we have engaged in robust dialogue, shared critical data and forged new pathways to confront one of the most complex and evolving threats to our continent - synthetic drug trafficking and its devastating consequences.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude for your active engagement, insightful contributions and unwavering commitment over these past three days.

The insights gathered here in Gaborone have reaffirmed what we know: that synthetic drugs are not just a criminal issue, they are a public health emergency, a development challenge and a threat to the very fabric of our societies. But we have also seen that Africa is not standing still. We are responding with innovation, with collaboration and with resolve.

Having sat through some of the meetings, I am very enthused with the commitment and passion we have exhibited towards the global fight against synthetic drug production and supply, trafficking and treatment and complex criminal enterprises.

I want to assure you that our resolve is genuine, though there are bottlenecks, we shall not throw our hands in despair, our determination to remain steadfast and commitment will deliver the results we seek.

In doing so, we must uphold the urgent need for a harmonised, multi-sectoral and multi-level governance frameworks, enhance our collective determination to counter the rapid expansion of all drug syndicates.

I urge you all to lead the development and continental endorsement of the revised AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2026–2030), ensuring a strong operational and legal framework for synthetic drug supply reduction (DSR). These commitments have now been captured in the Gaborone Framework for Action, which stands as the principal recommendation from this consultation and will also serve as a guide for Member States, RECs/RMs, and partners in the years ahead.

From the Pan African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (PAENDU) to our shared strategies for intelligence exchange and supply chain disruption, we are building the tools we need to dismantle criminal networks and protect our communities. But tools alone are not enough, we must now act with speed, with coordination, and with accountability.

I am encouraged by the tangible results achieved thus far:

• Agreement to strengthen inclusive Inter-Ministerial Drug Coordinating Committees in all Member States;

• Adoption of a continental roadmap for enhanced intelligence exchange, surveillance and interdiction; and

• A renewed commitment to cross-border cooperation and best practice sharing among law enforcement agencies and stakeholders.

These commitments are not just symbolic, they are actionable steps that must be translated into measurable progress. Their success will depend on sustained political will, sustainable resource allocation and the engagement of all sectors, from government to civil society.

On behalf of the Commission, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency the President, Government and the good people of Botswana for their generous hospitality and excellent organisation, which made the meeting to run smoothly.  Your leadership has set the tone for what is possible when nations unite around a common cause.

To our partners, notably the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, what can we do without you?  Thank you for your unflinching support.

How can we not appreciate our hardworking interpreters? Without you there would have been chaos in this room. Thank for always being the link between us.

Colleagues, the unity and resolve demonstrated here gives me great confidence, irrespective of the daunting task. Let us leave Gaborone with renewed determination to implement what we have agreed, guided by the vision of Agenda 2063 - an Africa at peace with itself, secure, healthy and prosperous.

My prayer is that this consultation is remembered not just for its discussions, but for its outcomes. Let it mark the beginning of a new era in Africa’s drug control efforts, one rooted in data, in dignity and in the determination to safeguard our youth and future generations.

As we depart, I urge each of you to carry this momentum forward. Let us return to our capitals not only with reports, but with renewed commitment. Let us invest in prevention, rehabilitation and community resilience. Let us ensure that our policies reflect the lived realities of our people.

Together, let us turn the tide. Together, let us build an Africa where health, justice and opportunity prevail over addiction, exploitation and despair.

I wish all of us safe journey back home and look forward to our continued collaboration.

I thank you.

Kealeboha. Pula!