A/RES/56/124 Welcoming the inclusion in the provisional agenda of the forty-fifth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs of an item on the preparations for the ministerial segment to be held in 2003, in line with Economic and Social Council resolution 1999/30 of 28 July 1999, to focus on the progress made by States in implementing the action plan and measures adopted by the General Assembly at its twentieth special session, Emphasizing the importance of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, which introduces a global approach, recognizing a new balance between illicit supply and demand reduction, under the principle of shared responsibility, aims at preventing the use of drugs and at reducing the adverse consequences of drug abuse, ensuring that special attention is paid to vulnerable groups, in particular children and young people, and constitutes one of the pillars of the new global strategy, and reaffirming the need for demand reduction programmes, Emphasizing equally the importance of supply reduction as an integral part of a balanced drug control strategy under the principles enshrined in the Action Plan on International Cooperation on the Eradication of Illicit Drug Crops and on Alternative Development,8 reaffirming the need for alternative development programmes that are sustainable, welcoming the achievements of some States on their way to eradicating illicit drug crops, and urging all other States to make similar efforts, Underlining the role of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs as the principal United Nations policy-making body on drug control issues and as the governing body of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, the leadership role and commendable work of the Programme as the main focus for concerted multilateral action and the important role of the International Narcotics Control Board as an independent monitoring authority, as set out in the international drug control treaties, Recognizing the efforts of all countries, in particular those that produce narcotic drugs for scientific and medical purposes, and of the International Narcotics Control Board in preventing the diversion of such substances to illicit markets and in maintaining production at a level consistent with licit demand, in line with the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of l961 9 and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, 10 Recognizing also that the problem of the illicit production of and trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is often related to development problems and that those links and the promotion of the economic development of countries affected by the illicit drug trade require, within the context of shared responsibility, appropriate measures, including strengthened international cooperation in support of alternative and sustainable development activities, in the affected areas of those countries, that have as their objectives the reduction and elimination of illicit drug production, Stressing that respect for all human rights is and must be an essential component of measures taken to address the drug problem, _______________ 8 Resolution S-20/4 E. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 520, No. 7515. 10 Ibid., vol. 1019, No. 14956. 9 3