Resolution A.985(24)/Rev.1

REVISION OF THE GUIDELINES FOR THE PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION OF THE SMUGGLING OF DRUGS, PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES AND PRECURSOR CHEMICALS ON SHIPS (RESOLUTION A.872(20))

(Adopted on 1 December 2005)

THE ASSEMBLY,

HAVING CONSIDERED the general purpose of the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965, as amended, in particular article III thereof,

RECALLING that the Conference of Contracting Governments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, which was held in London between 9  and 13 December 2002 (the 2002 SOLAS Conference), adopted, inter alia, the Special measures to enhance maritime security contained in chapter XI-2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended (SOLAS chapter XI-2) and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code,

RECALLING ALSO that the 2002 SOLAS Conference adopted resolution 3 on  Further work by the International Maritime Organization pertaining to the enhancement of maritime security , which, in operative paragraph 1(h), invited the Organization to review resolution A.872(20) on Guidelines for the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals on ships engaged in international traffic and, if necessary, to develop appropriate amendments thereto,

RECALLING FURTHER that the 2002 SOLAS Conference adopted also resolution 8 on Enhancement of security in co-operation with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and resolution 9 on Enhancement of security in co-operation with the World Customs Organization (WCO) and that, in response, the ILO and the Organization have developed the ILO/IMO Code of practice on security in ports and the WCO has developed the Framework of standards to secure and facilitate trade ,

MINDFUL that United Nations Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1456 (2003) have, inter alia, noted with concern the close connection between international terrorism and transnational organized crime, illicit drugs, money laundering and illegal arms trafficking; and have emphasized the need to enhance co-ordination of efforts on national, subregional, regional and international levels in order to strengthen a global response to these serious threats to international security,

MINDFUL ALSO of the work conducted by other United Nations agencies and international organizations, such as the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Interregional Criminal Justice Research Institute, Interpol and the World Customs Organization, to assist States to combat international terrorism and transnational organized crime, illicit drugs, money-laundering and illegal arms-trafficking through provision of guidance and capacity-building activities,

NOTING, in particular, that the Facilitation Committee at its thirty-first and thirty-second sessions discussed the revision of the Guidelines for the prevention and suppression of the smuggling of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals on ships engaged in international traffic ( the Guidelines ) and that, during the thirty-second session of the Facilitation Committee, the delegation of Colombia made specific proposals on the revision of the Guidelines which have been highly appreciated,

CONVINCED of the need to align the Guidelines with the provisions of SOLAS chapter XI-2 and the ISPS Code and to revise them in a manner that reflects the developments in the efforts undertaken to prevent and combat the smuggling of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals,

RECOGNIZING that the revision of the Guidelines should be done in such a manner that the end result does not duplicate the existing provisions of the ISPS Code but augments and supplements them, in the context of preventing illicit drug trafficking and controlling the diversion of precursor chemicals, where necessary,

ALSO RECOGNIZING that a comprehensive revision of the Guidelines may entail their complete replacement and the need eventually to revoke resolution A.872(20),

HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Facilitation Committee at its thirty-second session:

1. AGREES that there is a need to revise the Guidelines as a matter of priority and, to that end, requests the Facilitation Committee and the Maritime Safety Committee to work jointly and expeditiously on the revision of the Guidelines;

2. AUTHORIZES the Facilitation Committee and the Maritime Safety Committee to adopt jointly the necessary amendments to the