Brandenburg Forum on Drugs and Development Policies

A strong alliance for more human-centred drug policies

Since 2016, experts on international drug policy have been gathering annually at the Brandenburg Forum on Drugs and Development Policies (BBF). The Forum is designed to promote international exchange and coordination. What is discussed there? How can it help support human-centred, sustainable drug policies?

The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is one of the functional commissions of the United Nations' Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the central drug policy-making body within the UN System. Decisions taken at the CND’s annual sessions shape the future of international drug policy. Within the CND framework, the promotion of cross-national approaches which focus on development, public health, and respect for human rights requires prior exchange and consensus-building.

 

In recent years, the Brandenburg Forum on Drugs and Development Policies (BBF) has established itself as a crucial platform for international dialogue on drug policies and for the advancement of human-centered drug policies. To achieve this, the BBF brings together representatives of interested states, international organisations, civil society, and academia in the run-up to the yearly CND sessions. On behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD) creates a space for constructive debates and shared understanding. Co-organisers include the Commissioner of the German Federal Government for Drug and Addiction Policy, the Government of the Netherlands, the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and the Transnational Institute (TNI).

Originally designed as a one-off event to support states in implementing the resolutions adopted at the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS 2016) on the World Drug Problem in 2016, the BBF has now become a renowned conference on global drug policy. At the same time, the Forum’s agenda has grown wider, becoming more closely integrated into the international drug policy debate.

 

Debates at the BBF lead to new insights, joint positions, and stronger coalitions which are key in the international drug policy arena. Forum participants strengthen existing partnerships and forge cross-institutional alliances . This international cooperation, consolidated at the BBF, continues at CND level, where a broad and steadily growing coalition of states advocates for humane, sustainable, and evidence-based  drug policy approaches. By hosting the Brandenburg Forum, GPDPD is proud to make a key contribution to this joint endeavour.