Topic 2: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Country: The Republic of Mozambique

Committee: Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Affairs

School: Skyview High School

Delegate’s Name: Devin Cusack

The illicit drug trade and the affects it has on this world are both devastating and life sustaining. Over 4 million people depend on the cultivation of drug crops to survive. In most cases these people live below the poverty level, and derive 50 % or more of their income from cultivation. Millions more derive their income harvesting these crops for large farms owned by illegal traffickers. (UN Alternative Development Program) The crops grown throughout the world feed the world drug trade, pushing illicit drugs into every hemisphere and country. The trafficking of these drugs touches 170 countries and territories, worldwide, and with it brings crime, corruption, money, and addiction. While drug consumption has leveled over the last ten years in receiving countries, many trafficking countries have seen a rise in drug use. (World Drug Report 2000, Executive Summary) Behind the devastation of this trade one overreaching factor can be seen, poverty. The main supply of these illicit drugs comes from individuals simply trying to survive, and on the other end many users have nothing else to turn to in the face of poverty. It is this committee’s duty to find a solution to eliminate the supply and the demand by addressing the needs of these millions of people for a sustainable life. It is this and only this that will eliminate the trade of these drugs, and thereby reducing and/or eliminating its devastating effects.

The Republic of Mozambique is not new to the world of illicit drugs and trafficking. Mozambique has, unfortunately, become a cornerstone in the world drug trade. Since glorious peace was reached in 1992, Mozambique has become an international target for drug traffickers and illegal activity. The value of the illicit drug trade has been estimated at $50 million a month, including drugs from cocaine to heroin. Mozambique is also a producer of cannabis and methaqualone, both of which are vital cash crops that are life sustaining to many in poverty. Mozambique also has experienced an overwhelming addiction of the majority of its poor to cannabis. (Global Illicit Drug Trends 1999) Unfortunately, Mozambique hasn’t the resources to devote to regulating, and stemming the flow of drugs within the country. As one of the poorest nations on earth, and largely dependent on foreign aid, it needs international financial support to begin to combat illicit drugs.

It is the Republic of Mozambique’s belief that poverty is the true cause of all things encompassed in the illicit drug trade. Poverty supplies the drugs and the users, and if we can address poverty then perhaps this devastation can be eradicated. The best possible solution is to increase funding to UN organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, WFP, and UNHCR to help better the quality of life to the billions of poverty stricken poor. So that they do not have to cultivate illicit drugs to survive, and/or turn to them when they have nothing left. Increased funding should also be given to governments, in need, to improve their law enforcement services. For it is then that trafficking can be controlled more efficiently because countries, such as Mozambique, do not have the resources to do so, and become open targets to traffickers. Until needy peoples and governments are given the resources to better their lives and situations, drug trafficking will remain a devastating global problem.