The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) of the Federal Republic of Germany, hosted the Second International Conference on Alternative Development (ICAD 2) between 18 – 24 November 2015, at Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park, Chiang Rai.

On this occasion, Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol presided over the Opening Ceremony on 18 November 2015 at Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park, Chiang Rai. Also, HRH visited alternative development project sites in the provinces of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. At the High-level Conference on 24 November 2015, HRH presided over and addressed participants in the opening session and was a panelist on “The Rule of Law and Security Challenges in the Development-Oriented Drug Control Context”, and participated in a side event on “The Rule of Law and Alternative Development : Strengthening the Rule of Law to Achieve Sustainable Development in Areas of Illicit Crop Cultivation”. Over 100 participants from 28 countries and 11 organisations participated in the field visit, while over 240 participants from 44 countries and 18 organisations joined the High-level Conference.

ICAD 2 is a follow up forum from the First International Conference on Alternative Development (ICAD 1), hosted by the Royal Thai Government and the Government of Peru in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The objectives of ICAD 2 are 1) to advance the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development (UNGPs on AD), 2) to share Thailand’s longstanding experiences and best practices in implementing alternative development programmes in order to address illicit crop cultivation and improve the well-being of hill-tribe people, based on His Majesty the King’s Initiative, 3) to integrate alternative development into larger national and international development policies and strategies, and 4) to provide inputs for the preparation of the United Nations Special Session on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS)  to be held from 19 – 20 April 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.

Participants stressed on the importance of people-centered and alternative development approach to address drug abuse problem by taking on the community’s special needs into consideration when designing and implementing alternative development programmes, as well as the need to view alternative development in the broader spectrum of sustainable development. Key issues including poverty education, giving people opportunities in society and, promoting health, education, environmental sustainability, and market access should be integrated into national development strategies. Implementation of alternative development programmes requires long-term commitment and involves all stakeholders, from political to grassroots levels.  

The outcome of ICAD 2 will be presented as inputs for UNGASS preparation during the reconvened session of the 58^th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in December 2015, and the 59^th session of CND in March 2016.

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30 November 2015