Drug policy reform: Opportunity or threat to international security?

The international drug control regime, based upon a set of international treaties that have been in place for decades, must be reformed. The prohibitionist and repressive approach currently in vigour, often marketed under the label of the ‘war on drugs’, has failed to end drug use and trafficking. Drug use has never been as high as today and the illegal drug market is worth over $500bn per year.

Panelists of this groundbreaking digital conversation include high-level personalities who led countries, research institutions, or international organizations and gathered an extensive experience on peace, security, and multilateralism.

Through the lenses of evidence, they discuss alternatives to the current repressive paradigm to curb the growing power of organized crime and address the collateral violence, both direct consequences of the current prohibitionist paradigm – decades of repression have given these organizations the financial and military means to unbalance governments, corrupt judiciary and banking systems, and threaten democracies.

Featuring:

• Ruth Dreifuss, Former President of Switzerland, Global Commission on Drug Policy
• Javier Solana, Former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Global Commission on Drug Policy
• Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Former Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations
• Christian Dussey, Director, Geneva Center for Security Policy
• Renata Dwan, Director, UN Institute for Disarmament Research
• Tuesday Reitano (moderator), Deputy Director, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime