In 2025, the Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs (ESACD) continued to advance the recommendations of its flagship regional “Final Report and Action Plan”, a comprehensive framework addressing the evolving drug landscape across Eastern and Southern Africa.

The ESACD’s Final Report and Action Plan was the culmination of an extensive and inclusive consultation process, involving some 747 stakeholders drawn from across government, civil society, law enforcement, the media, academia, regional and international organizations, and community-based networks of people who use drugs. Throughout this work, the Commission prioritized the input of drug experts and civil society, including people who use drugs, to ensure that discussions were grounded in scientific evidence, robust data and harm reduction principles.

Developed through extensive regional consultations with governments, civil society, researchers, and community networks of people who use drugs, the report provides a grounded analysis of production, consumption, trafficking, and the structural drivers shaping illicit drug markets in the region. It highlights growing transnational criminal activity, rising dependence, pressure on public health systems, and the impact of reductions in international donor assistance.

The report sets out 12 recommendations and 40 priority actions that call for comprehensive, balanced responses: evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services; addressing the root causes and consequences of drug use; and strengthening strategic, intelligence-led law enforcement focused on serious crime and corruption rather than low-level offenses.

Together, the report offers a pragmatic, regionally tailored roadmap for governments seeking to align public health, human rights, and effective law enforcement in their drug policy responses.

While the meeting marked the launch of the ESACD’s flagship report, it also signalled a new phase for the Regional Commission. Moving beyond consultation, the ESACD is now focused on translating recommendations into measurable outcomes and systemic change through targeted interventions. These actionable recommendations require sustained political will, adequate resource mobilization and ongoing multi-stakeholder engagement.