Latest news with #GhadaWaly
CBC
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Gangs have 'near-total control' in Haiti, UN warns
Haiti's gangs have gained "near-total control" of the capital and authorities are unable to stop escalating violence across the impoverished Caribbean nation, senior UN officials warned Wednesday. An estimated 90 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, is now under control of criminal groups who are expanding attacks not only into surrounding areas but beyond into previously peaceful areas, Ghada Fathy Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told the UN Security Council. "Southern Haiti, which until recently was insulated from the violence, has seen a sharp increase in gang-related incidents," she said. "And in the east, criminal groups are exploiting land routes, including key crossings like Belladere and Malpasse, where attacks against police and customs officials have been reported." The remarks came a day after Bob Rae, president of the UN's Economic and Social Council, said in a statement that "the situation in Haiti is deteriorating at an alarming rate." "The Haitian population is being exploited, raped, kidnapped and recruited by armed gangs. They are malnourished and facing famine conditions," said Rae, a former Canadian MP. Waly in her presentation said that criminal groups are stepping into the vacuum left by the absence or limited delivery of public services and are establishing "parallel governance structures," and gang control of major trade routes has paralyzed legal commerce, leading to soaring prices for cooking fuel and rice, Haiti's staple food. UN Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenca told the council that "without increased action by the international community, the total collapse of state presence in the capital could become a very real scenario." Last month, the UN's International Organizaton for Migration estimated that 11 per cent of Haiti's nearly 12 million inhabitants have fled their homes due to the ongoing violence. International security force underfunded Gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. Haiti has not had a president since the assassination, and has not held elections since 2016. A transitional council with rotating leaders was established last year, with hopes that the next election would be held by early 2026. A UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police arrived in Haiti last year to help quell gang violence, but the mission remains understaffed and underfunded, with only about 40 per cent of the 2,500 personnel originally envisioned. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres's proposal in February to have the UN provide drones, fuel, ground and air transport and other non-lethal support to the Kenya-led mission has languished in the council. In response to the gangs, the UNODC's Waly said there has been a rapid growth in the number and activities of private security companies and vigilante self-defence groups, with some trying to protect their communities while others act illegally and collude with gangs. "Over the last three months," Jenca said, "these groups reportedly killed at least 100 men and one woman suspected of gang association or collaboration." He said the last three months have also seen an increase in sexual violence by gangs with the UN political mission in Haiti documenting 364 incidents of sexual violence involving 378 survivors just from March to April. With a weak national police force facing acute tensions in its leadership, an army that needs rebuilding and the limited ability of the multinational force, UN experts have warned that the gangs will continue "to have the upper hand unless stronger international support is provided." UNICEF has previously assessed that some gangs are recruiting children to support their illegal activities. The Haitian National Police have also carried out "a worrying number of extrajudicial killings," with suspected gang members often summarily executed," the experts said, pointing to 281 summary executions by specialized police units in 2024 including 22 women and 8 children. Despite the UN arms embargo on Haiti, gangs continue to obtain more powerful weapons not only from regional civilian markets but from police stockpiles in Haiti and the neighbouring Dominican Republic, the experts said. WATCH l Haitian Canadians worry for relatives, compatriots on sombre anniversary: Haiti still impacted by earthquake 15 years later 6 months ago Duration 2:03 U.S. tries to end legal protections for Haitians The turmoil in Haiti comes as Donald Trump's administration announced last week that it was terminating legal protections for some 500,000 Haitians as soon as Sept. 2, setting them up for potential deportation. "The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in an accompanying statement. The move is being challenged in the courts. The DHS statement came even as the State Department , advising Americans not to travel there due to "kidnapping, crime, civil unrest and limited health care."
Roya News
28-06-2025
- Health
- Roya News
Global cocaine production hits record high as drug use, deaths surge: UN
Global cocaine production reached an all-time high in 2023, driven by expanded coca cultivation and increased yields in Colombia, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed in its annual report released Thursday. The surge in production is accompanied by rising cocaine use, soaring seizures, and a troubling rise in deaths worldwide. The report warns of a 'new era of global instability' that is fueling organized crime and pushing drug use to unprecedented levels. Cocaine is now the fastest-growing illicit drug market worldwide, with illegal production estimated at 3,708 tons in 2023 — a nearly 34 percent increase from the previous year. An estimated 25 million people worldwide used cocaine in 2023, up sharply from 17 million in 2013. Consumption remains highest in North America, Western and Central Europe, and South America, with wastewater analysis indicating sharp increases in European cities. Cocaine seizures in Western and Central Europe have outpaced those in North America for the fifth year running. Globally, cocaine seizures increased by 68 percent between 2019 and 2023, signaling intensified efforts to combat trafficking amid expanding markets. More broadly, drug consumption remains a critical global health challenge. In 2023, some 316 million people — or 6 percent of the world's population aged 15 to 64 — used illicit substances other than alcohol and tobacco, up from 5.2 percent in 2013. Drug use disorders continue to take a devastating toll, causing nearly half a million deaths annually and accounting for 28 million healthy years of life lost worldwide. Yet only one in 12 people suffering from such disorders received any form of treatment in 2023, according to the report. UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly emphasized the urgent need for increased investment in prevention programs, stronger cross-border cooperation, and judicial efforts to dismantle criminal networks behind the drug trade. Cocaine use produces short-lived euphoria and bursts of energy but poses serious health risks including heart attacks, strokes, respiratory failure, and neurological damage. Its highly addictive nature often leads users into cycles of binge use and severe withdrawal. The UNODC report underscores the growing challenges faced by governments and communities worldwide in addressing the expanding cocaine crisis amid broader global instability.
Observer
27-06-2025
- Health
- Observer
UN report: Global drug users rise to 316m, cocaine market grows
The number of drug users worldwide rose to 316 million people in 2023, according to a UN report published on Thursday. The number corresponds to 6% of the world population aged between 15 and 64 using a drug - not including tobacco or alcohol - the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna said in its 2025 World Drug Report, which is based on 2023 data. In 2013, 5.2% of the world population had consumed a drug. Cannabis remained the most consumed drug with 244 million users,followed by opioids (61 million), amphetamines (30.7 million),cocaine (25 million) and ecstasy (21 million), according to the report. "This edition of the World Drug Report shows that organized drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises, and target vulnerable populations," said UNODC executive director Ghada Waly. "We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain. And we must strengthen responses, by leveraging technology, strengthening cross-border cooperation, providing alternative livelihoods, and taking judicial action that targets key actors driving these networks." Among all drugs, the market for cocaine is growing the fastest, the annual report found. Illegal cocaine production rose by more than a third year-on-year toa record 3,708 tons in 2023. The number of consumers rose from 17million to 25 million between 2013 and 2023. According to the UN experts, the cocaine boom is not only leading tomore drug-related deaths, but also to more violence between rivalcriminal organizations involved in drug smuggling. This can also be observed in Western and Central Europe, they these two regions, more cocaine has been seized than in North America for several years now.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
UN report: Global drug users rise to 316m, cocaine market grows
The number of drug users worldwide rose to 316 million people in 2023, according to a UN report published on Thursday. The number corresponds to 6% of the world population aged between 15 and 64 using a drug - not including tobacco or alcohol - the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna said in its 2025 World Drug Report, which is based on 2023 data. In 2013, 5.2% of the world population had consumed a drug. Cannabis remained the most consumed drug with 244 million users, followed by opioids (61 million), amphetamines (30.7 million), cocaine (25 million) and ecstasy (21 million), according to the report. "This edition of the World Drug Report shows that organized drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises, and target vulnerable populations," said UNODC executive director Ghada Waly. "We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain. And we must strengthen responses, by leveraging technology, strengthening cross-border cooperation, providing alternative livelihoods, and taking judicial action that targets key actors driving these networks." Among all drugs, the market for cocaine is growing the fastest, the annual report found. Illegal cocaine production rose by more than a third year-on-year to a record 3,708 tons in 2023. The number of consumers rose from 17 million to 25 million between 2013 and 2023. According to the UN experts, the cocaine boom is not only leading to more drug-related deaths, but also to more violence between rival criminal organizations involved in drug smuggling. This can also be observed in Western and Central Europe, they said. In these two regions, more cocaine has been seized than in North America for several years now.
Business Times
26-06-2025
- Business Times
The World's biggest users of cocaine are in Australia, New Zealand
[CANBERRA) Australia and New Zealand are the world's biggest users of cocaine, as global consumption of the illicit drug reaches record highs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its latest report. While more people use cocaine in the Americas than anywhere else, per-capita consumption is most prevalent in Australia and New Zealand, according to the World Drug Report 2025. Waste-water analysis suggests most people there are using cocaine only occasionally, the report said. Some 3 per cent of those aged 15 to 64 in Australia and New Zealand used cocaine in 2023, the report said. That's almost double the proportion in the Americas, and nearly triple the percentage in Europe – the next-biggest consumers of the drug, the report said. The report painted a bleak picture of the worldwide battle against illegal drugs and the criminals behind them, and said a new era of global instability has intensified the challenge. Production volumes, seizures and use of cocaine all hit records in 2023, making it the world's fastest-growing illegal drug market, the UN said. In total, an estimated 316 million people used illicit drugs in the period. 'Organised drug trafficking groups continue to adapt, exploit global crises and target vulnerable populations,' Ghada Waly, executive director of the UNODC, said in a statement. 'We must invest in prevention and address the root causes of the drug trade at every point of the illicit supply chain.' Cocaine traffickers are breaking into new regions of Asia and Africa, the report said. But the relative wealth of Australia, and the price that users in the country are willing to pay for drugs, has long made it an attractive market for criminals. The country's vast seaboard also makes it hard for border authorities to intercept illegal shipments. Australian Federal Police pulled off a record cocaine seizure in December when they uncovered an attempt to import 2.34 tons of the drug into the country by sea. The cocaine had a street value of US$496 million with the potential to equate to 11.7 million street deals, authorities said. Thirteen people were charged. The UN report said cannabis remains the world's most widely used drug with 244 million users, representing 4.6 per cent of the global population aged between 15 and 64. In Australia and New Zealand, prevalence of cannabis use was recorded at more than 12 per cent, the report said. The use of ecstasy – also known as molly or MDMA – in Australia and New Zealand remained by far the highest worldwide, the report
