The United Nations has urged Zimbabwe to strengthen cooperation across government institutions and other sectors in response to the country’s escalating drug and substance abuse problem, describing it as one of several interconnected development challenges.
The appeal comes as authorities move ahead with reforms aimed at tightening control over drug trafficking. Last year, the government gazetted the National Drug and Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Bill, legislation that proposes the creation of a dedicated body to spearhead enforcement against drug-related offences.
Speaking after presenting her credentials to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in Harare, the UN’s new Resident Coordinator, Rosemary Kalapurakal, stressed that addressing drug abuse requires more than law enforcement alone.
She said Zimbabwe should pursue integrated development policies that simultaneously tackle climate change, expand opportunities for young people, mobilise sustainable financing and strengthen efforts to combat crime and substance abuse.
“We need an integrated sustainable development, looking at multi-sectoral approaches that address some of the key development challenges in the country, whether they range from climate resilience to opportunities for young people, unlocking sustainable development goals, development financing, looking at addressing issues such as substance abuse and drugs and crime, and so on,” Kalapurakal said.
Her remarks echo growing regional concern over the spread of illicit drugs. During the fifth Zimbabwe-Botswana Bi-National Commission held in Harare in April, Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko warned that synthetic drugs are increasingly threatening communities across southern Africa.
Boko said the widespread availability of addictive substances was robbing young people of their future while creating fertile ground for organised criminal networks to expand their influence.
He cautioned that powerful drug syndicates could infiltrate public institutions, weaken governance systems and ultimately destabilise nations. To counter the threat, he called for closer cooperation among regional security agencies to dismantle cross-border trafficking networks.
Kalapurakal also welcomed Zimbabwe’s successful bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, saying the position would give the country an opportunity to contribute to international efforts aimed at promoting peace and security.
She noted that Zimbabwe’s regional experience and growing diplomatic profile would allow it to offer an important African perspective in advancing the principles of the UN Charter and strengthening international cooperation.
“As a United Nations Resident Coordinator, I applaud the country for this opportunity and will support the country in any way they require,” she said.
Zimbabwe has experienced a sharp rise in drug abuse in recent years, particularly among young people, driven by the increased circulation of inexpensive synthetic drugs such as crystal meth, commonly referred to locally as “mutoriro.”
Although the country has long been used as a transit route by international drug trafficking networks, domestic drug consumption has also increased significantly, with unemployment and economic hardships widely cited as key contributing factors. The worsening situation has heightened calls for stronger legislation, improved law enforcement and enhanced regional collaboration to curb the illicit drug trade.
