The Development-oriented Drug Control (DDC) programme offers advice and support for developing and transition countries in their endeavours to stem drug production, trafficking and consumption. In addition to alternative development measures, it places particular importance on drug misuse prevention and treatment and always has poverty reduction as a goal.

Building on the experience of the past 15 years, the DDC programme places greater reliance on the thematic interfaces with other development approaches. Of particular relevance are the interfaces with approaches concerned with rural development, crisis prevention and conflict transformation, poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS prevention, and health and youth promotion. Taking greater account of the drug problem within these approaches offers considerable potential for sustainable development.

The direction taken by conceptual and practical work in the DDC programme is increasingly geared to establishing drug control as a cross-sectoral theme in the relevant sectors, strategies and programmes in countries that have a major drug problem. In Afghanistan, this approach is currently being tried out with the Afghan government and other donors.