United Nations conventions and their related protocols underpin all the operational work of UNODC.
The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime is a legally-binding instrument through which States parties commit to taking a series of measures against transnational organized crime. These include the creation of domestic offences to combat the problem, the adoption of new, sweeping frameworks for mutual legal assistance, extradition, law enforcement cooperation and technical assistance, and training.
In its resolution 55/61, the General Assembly recognized that an effective international legal instrument against corruption, independent of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime was desirable. The text of the Convention was negotiated during seven sessions held between 21 January 2002 and 1 October 2003. The Convention was adopted by the General Assembly on 31 October 2003.
The three major international drug control treaties are mutually supportive and complementary. An important purpose of the first two treaties is to codify internationally applicable control measures in order to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes, and to prevent their diversion into illicit channels. They also include general provisions on trafficking and drug abuse.
Commentary on the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961:
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Commentary on the Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961: English French Spanish
Commentary on the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971:
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