A UN report has warned of a potential increase in the cocaine trade in Africa and Asia, following a concerning rise in the production of the drug globally over the past two years. The report indicates that this increase in production has been matched by similar rises in demand, particularly after a decline in this type of trade due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime highlighted a 35% increase in coca bush cultivation between 2020 and 2021, representing the largest year-on-year increase since 2016.
According to the report, the increase in supply has been accompanied by significant rises in demand, with many regions showing a substantial increase in the number of users over the past decade. While the cocaine market remains concentrated in the Americas and parts of Europe, the report warns of a strong likelihood of significant expansion into Africa and Asia.
The report also noted a significant rise in law enforcement actions against cocaine shipments worldwide, with confiscations reaching their highest levels since 2021. It emphasized the emergence of new cocaine trade centers, pointing out that countries in Southeast Europe and African nations, particularly in West and Central Africa, are increasingly being used as major transit areas for the drug.
In this context, Ghada Wali, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, warned that "the increase in global cocaine supplies should alert us all," stating that the potential expansion of the cocaine market in Africa and Asia poses a serious reality. She urged "governments and other stakeholders to closely examine the report's findings to determine how to address this transnational threat through cross-border responses based on awareness-raising, prevention, and international and regional cooperation."
