Kenya has called for urgent and coordinated global action to combat the rapidly evolving drug trade, warning that emerging substances and digital trafficking networks are intensifying the global narcotics crisis.

The appeal was made during the 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna, where Kenya urged the international community to adopt a balanced and science-based approach to tackling both the supply and demand sides of the global drug problem.

Representing the country, Stephen Mairori, Head of Delegation and Board Chair of the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), warned that illicit drug trafficking networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous.

“We are witnessing an aggressive onslaught from drug barons who are exploiting modern technologies and pharmaceutical misuse to fuel addiction,” said Mairori.

He cautioned that emerging substances and digital marketplaces are accelerating the spread of drugs, particularly among young people.

“The rise of New Psychoactive Substances, including fentanyl, and the use of the dark web for anonymous transactions, are exposing our youth to unprecedented risks. The future will hold us accountable if we fail to effectively respond,” he said.

At the same forum, Kenya also welcomed the appointment of Monica Juma as Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), saying that the development was a significant moment for regional leadership in global drug control efforts.

Mairori reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to the three international drug control conventions, emphasising that strengthening the existing global framework, not replacing it, remains the most effective way to address the crisis.

“We must ensure a balanced approach that focuses on the safety, health, and well-being of all members of society, in particular the youth and children,” he told the commission.

Kenya also aligned itself with the positions of the Group of 77 and the African Group, reiterating that addressing the world drug problem requires collective responsibility, enhanced international cooperation, and improved technological capacity to detect and disrupt trafficking networks.

The 69th CND session brought together governments and international agencies to review global drug policies and accelerate the implementation of international commitments aimed at curbing drug trafficking