Trump kicks off UN general assembly with ‘problematic’ drug policy document
Several countries signed the document out of 'heavy diplomatic pressure' rather than actual agreement
Monday, September 24, 2018
Donald Trump has kicked off the 2018 United Nations General Assembly by announcing what experts have labelled a problematic agreement to tackle the world drug problem, signed by 130 countries. The very short meeting was primarily to introduce the agreement - named the Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem - but as senior international policy manager for New York-based research group Drug Policy Alliance, Hannah Hetzer told The Independent the document is “not legitimate”. The agreement did not pass through the official UN channels and was not open to consensus or negotiation. (See also: Veneer of consensus masks deep disagreement on global drug policy | Canada signs on to U.S.-led renewal of war on drugs)