STATEMENT BY THE CAMEROON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO MARK THE 39TH INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING
26 June 2026 Theme.- World Drug Problem: persisting issues, new challenges,innovative responses.
The Commission recalls that through Resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), 26 June was officially proclaimed the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, thereby affirming the continuing commitment of Member States to intensify efforts in the prevention, treatment, law-enforcement and mitigation of threats, with the participation of international organisations, civil society organisations (CSOs), communities and other relevant stakeholders, in full respect of human rights.
The Commission welcomes the theme chosen for the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, The World Drug Problem: persisting issues, new challenges, innovative responses’; a theme that aptly highlights the need to address the structural challenges associated with the global drug phenomenon, notably the proliferation of synthetic substances, the growth of criminal networks and the resulting health, social and security consequences; it is also worth emphasising the importance of promoting innovative public policies that are evidence-based and respectful of human dignity and fundamental rights.
The Commission notes that the theme chosen for the 2026 celebration of this Day fully consistent with the African Union’s (AU) ambitions, as it calls for the constant adaptation of policies and mechanisms to prevent, protect and enforce laws in response to the evolving world drug problem, and aligns with the vision highlighted by Aspiration 4 of Agenda 2063, which aims for “an Africa […] free from drugs […] and organised crime”; this is to guarantee the younger generations an environment conducive to their development, health and full participation in the continent’s development.
The Commission notes that the theme of the 2026 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking highlights the need to strengthen mechanisms aimed at protecting human rights in the face of the harmful effects of the world drug problem, through legal safeguards, access to healthcare and social services, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation measures, community support schemes, as well as accountability and redress mechanisms. This theme also encourages the adoption of innovative, inclusive and human rights-based responses to protect the most vulnerable individuals and groups while safeguarding their rights, and foremost their right to dignity.
The Commission commends the consistent and sustained efforts of public authorities and their partners to prevent drug abuse, combat illicit drug trafficking and protect the public from the health, social, economic and security consequences of the world drug problem, notably through the seizure, by Cameroon’s Custom authorities, of six consignments of narcotics totaling 2,491 kilograms, at the Douala International Airport, in the Wouri Division (Littoral Region), on 20 February 2026. This consignment valued at about 50 billion francs CFA, comprised 1,057 kilograms of cocaine and 1,434 kilograms of tramadol. The operation that resulted in this seizure, carried out on the basis of targeted intelligence, constitutes one of the most significant drug seizures ever recorded in Cameroon. It confirms the critical role of control mechanisms at the nation’s entry points and underscores the imperative of sustainably enhancing intelligence, detection, interception and inter-agency cooperation capacities in order to effectively address the evolving challenges posed by drug trafficking.
The Commission notes that despite efforts deployed at national and international levels to combat drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Cameroon, many persons suffering from disorders due to drug use continue to experience social exclusion, stigmatisation and discrimination, which limits their access to healthcare, employment opportunities, education and social reintegration services. This situation highlights the persistence of structural challenges that undermine the effectiveness of responses to the global drug problem.
The Commission notes that of the 220 recommendations accepted by the State upon the adoption of the Report of Cameroon after undergoing the Fourth Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 26 March 2024, two are directly relevant to the fight against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking; these recommendations are reproduced in the present CHRC Statement and have been transmitted by the country’s National Human Rights Institution to the relevant State structures and CSOs, each as far as it is concerned.
The Commission reiterates all the recommendations set out in CHRC Statement of 26 June 2024 issued to mark the 37th International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, in particular those recommending that the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC), the Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB), the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family (MINPROFF), the Ministry of Social Affairs (MINAS), and MINJEC should intensify awareness-raising campaigns targeting youths on the dangers associated with drug consumption.
The Commission specifically recommends that the Government should strengthen the multisectoral coordination mechanisms as well as the human, technical and financial resources of the National Committee for the Fight against Drugs (CNLD), to ensure a better harmonisation of the interventions of public administrations with those of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Regional and Local Authorities (RLAs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and CSOs.
The Commission specifically recommends that parents, legal guardians and families reinforce their role as the first line of defence against drug use by maintaining regular, open and non-stigmatising dialogue with children and young people on the health, psychological, educational, social and legal consequences of psychoactive substance use; by exercising greater vigilance regarding peer influences, sudden behavioural changes, social settings and online activities that may facilitate exposure to drug trafficking networks; by seeking timely medical, psychological, social or educational support whenever signs of dependency, substance misuse or vulnerability are detected and by reporting to the competent authorities any trafficking networks, points of sale or practices that encourage drug use and threaten the well-being of children, young people and communities.
