The Independent Expert Panel established pursuant to Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) Resolution 68/6 held its first in-person meeting in Vienna, Austria, at the Vienna International Center (VIC) from 16-18 June.

The multidisciplinary panel of nineteen independent experts, which includes Global Commission Commissioners Adeeba Kamarulzaman and Pavel Bém, has been mandated to conduct consultations with Member States and a broad range of stakeholders, including civil society, youth groups and academia, and to prepare a set of clear, specific and actionable recommendations ahead of the 2029 review of international drug policy commitments.

The work of the panel represents an important opportunity to strengthen the implementation of international drug policy commitments and to promote greater coherence with other relevant international instruments in responding to the evolving global drug situation.