Final Report Vienna, Commission on Narcotic Drugs9–13 March 2026
The 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) marked a significant opportunity in positioning the IFRC —and its European network ERNA—as a key humanitarian actor in global drug policy and public health.
ERNA (European Red Cross and Red Crescent Network on HIV, TB, Hepatitis, and Substance Use) brought for the first time its humanitarian voice to Vienna, contributing to high-level discussions, strengthening institutional partnerships, and advancing practical solutions to drug-related health challenges across Europe and Central Asia.
At the same time, the mission further consolidated the global relevance of the Rome Consensus 2.0 (RC2.0) as a unifying humanitarian framework, not only for the RCRC but also for the Civil Society and professionals in the field of drug-related problmes, guiding drug policy grounded in health, dignity, and compassion.
In parallel IFRC exhibition stand significantly increased visibility and networking opportunities of the Rome Consensus and Red Cross team with the big audience of the CND (more than 2.000 official delegates among Member States, International Organizations and Civil Societiy Org.).
A Strategic milestone for Humanitarian Drug Policy
For the first time, a President of a National Society—Dr. Antonios Avgerinos (Hellenic Red Cross)—participated in the CND, reinforcing the institutional and political relevance of the Movement in global drug policy discussions.
The IFRC-ERNA official side event at the 2026 CND “Strategic Alliances: Connecting CSOs, Public Authorities, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent” brought focused attention to a critical global challenge: the gap between policy commitments and real implementation .
Organized and moderated by Mauro Patti, President of ERNA, introduced by Gabriela Poller-Harting, IFRC Permanent Observer at the UN in Vienna, and concluded by Dr. Massimo Barra, Chair of the Red Cross Red Crescent Partnership on Substance Abuse, the discussion convened representatives from governments, UN agencies, and civil society to explore how to translate policy and evidence into coordinated, community-level responses.
A key message emerging from the discussion was that while global drug policies have increasingly shifted toward health-centred approaches, access to care remains insufficient. As highlighted during the session by Dr. Ehab Salah (UNODC), an estimated 9.2 million people worldwide with drug use disorders remain without treatment, reflecting a failure not of knowledge, but of implementation.
Mauro Patti framed this gap clearly: “We do not suffer from a lack of declarations. We do not lack evidence. We suffer from a lack of structured cooperation among service providers and from insufficient investment in public health.”
Panelists emphasized that effective responses require stronger coordination between institutions, civil society, and that humanitarian actors can be the added value to improve the outreach of vulnerables.
“Only through such alignment can fragmented interventions evolve into a continuum of care, linking outreach, testing, treatment, recovery, and social reintegration” stated Dr. Massimo Barra.
Within this context, the Rome Consensus 2.0 was highlighted as a practical framework to bridge policy and implementation. A significant endorsement came from the representative of the Hellenic Ministry of Health, Foteini T. Koulouri, who expressed full support for the initiative and announced the intention to formally submit the Rome Consensus Statement to the Minister of Health. This would make Greece the first government to officially support the humanitarian Manifesto, marking a key step in connecting humanitarian action with national policy.
The discussion was grounded in practice through the intervention of Dr. Antonios Avgerinos, who presented the Hellenic RC community-based outreach model reaching thousands of vulnerable individuals through testing, psychosocial support, and referral services. As he noted: “The Red Cross emblem is one of the most powerful tools for building trust in sensitive environments, it means safety, dignity and protection and should serve also to this humanitarian challenge of drug disorders.”
The role of volunteers was also recognized as essential in reaching marginalized populations and linking them to care. As highlighted by Mauro Patti: “We are here also to say to our governmental and non governmental partners that if properly trained and supported, RCRC volunteers can play a vital role in prevention, outreach, and linking people with drug addiction to care at community level.”
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Massimo Barra reaffirmed the core principle guiding the discussion: “Humanitarian drug policy means putting people at the centre, treating them with compassion,by facilitating the access to therapy, and building systems that respond to real needs, not ideology.”
The side event ultimately underscored a clear priority for the global community: moving from declarations to implementation through stronger partnerships, coordinated systems, and sustained investment in public health.
IFRC Voice at the Global Stage: Plenary Intervention at the CND
Massimo Barra took the floor at the CND plenary on behalf of the IFRC, bringing a clear humanitarian perspective to the global policy debate. His intervention emphasized the need to move beyond polarization, calling for a shared understanding of harm reduction and stronger investment in community-based services. He positioned the Rome Consensus 2.0 as a bridge between policy and practice, and warned that recent funding cuts to harm reduction and treatment programmes risk undermining decades of progress in public health and social protection.
Rome Consensus 2.0 in action: contributing to global dialogue
The Rome Consensus 2.0 community actively contributed to multiple official CND side events by offering the sponsorship to 5 official high-level side events and in delivering speeches by its leaders, demonstrating its operational relevance across different policy areas:
Other panels joined by the the Rome Consensus team
- Policy Preparedness and Comparable Evidence (Host Parents Circle of Viena and Knowmad Institut) addressed gaps in global drug governance caused by fragmented and non-comparable research systems.
- Ten Years Since UNGASS 2016 (Host International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care) Focused on tools supporting Member States in ensuring access to controlled medicines and balanced policy implementation.
- A Common Goal: Multi-Approach Drug Strategy
Promoted integrated approaches combining prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and proportionate law enforcement. - Meeting People Where They Are (World Federation of Therapeutic Communities)
Highlighted the convergence between risk reduction and recovery-oriented approaches, reinforcing the continuum of care model.
The RC2.0 is now:
- Adopted by more than 800 organizations and health service providers
- Spanning over 70 countries worldwide
- Used as a common advocacy and implementation platform at national and international levels
Dozens of local and international actors actively use the RC2.0 umbrella to frame policies, develop programmes, and promote partnerships aligned with humanitarian principles.
This expansion reflects a growing convergence between civil society, public institutions, and humanitarian organisations around a shared vision: drug policies must prioritize health, dignity, and access to care.
Conclusion
The mission to Vienna demonstrated that the humanitarian approach to drug policy is no longer peripheral, it is increasingly central to global discussions and marked a turning point:
- The Rome Consensus 2.0 strengthened its role as a global coalition
- The Red Cross and Red Crescent reaffirmed its leadership in humanitarian drug policy
- ERNA consolidated its presence in global policy spaces
IFRC Key Messages
- Strong humanitarian commitment: IFRC reaffirmed its leadership in advancing health-centred and evidence-based drug policy through the Rome Consensus 2.0 (RC2.0) framework. Supporting National Societies in operational delivery in drug-related challenges is critical to this aim.
- From policy to practice: RC2.0 positions IFRC as a key actor in translating global commitments into concrete, community-level impact, especially for the most marginalized populations.
- Partnerships as a driver: Effective responses depend on multi-stakeholder cooperation (governments, civil society, National Societies), with RC2.0 serving as a platform for coordination and implementation.
- Community-based approach: IFRC promotes integrated services that meet people where they are, combining harm reduction, treatment, and social reintegration, supported by trusted volunteer networks.
- Evidence and emerging challenges: RC2.0 supports evidence-informed policies and coordinated responses to evolving threats, including synthetic drugs.
- Growing institutional recognition: IFRC and RC2.0 are increasingly recognized as credible operational partners, capable of bridging the gap between policy and practice.