Pope Leo XIV Addresses OSCE PA Delegation, Calls International Co-Operation Against Drug Trafficking And Organised Crime.

Vatican City; May 2026: Participants in the second Inter-Parliamentary Conference on the Fight Against Organised Crime in the OSCE Region were received today by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in what marked the first-ever meeting between a large delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Pope.

The audience took place in the Clementine Hall and brought together parliamentarians and representatives from across the OSCE region participating in the conference hosted by the Italian Parliament under the theme “#STOPDRUGS – Fighting Drug Trafficking together to Defend Security, Health and the Rule of Law”.

In his address, Pope Leo XIV stressed that combating organised crime and drug trafficking requires strong international co-operation rooted in the rule of law, the protection of human dignity and effective prevention strategies. He emphasised the importance of comprehensive approaches that combine law enforcement, criminal justice, rehabilitation and social reintegration, while also underlining the key role of education, families and schools in preventing drug abuse among young people.

The Pope further highlighted the need for societies to address addiction through medical, psychological and social support systems and expressed appreciation for the work and sacrifices of law enforcement and judicial authorities combating organised crime. He concluded by expressing hope that the conference would bear lasting fruit in strengthening international co-operation against organised crime and drug trafficking, and wished participants wisdom, courage and peace in their deliberations.

OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons of Spain have thanked Pope Leo XIV for receiving the delegation and for his message of support for international co-operation and human dignity in addressing organised crime and drug trafficking.

“This meeting represents an important moment for parliamentary diplomacy, peace and international co-operation across the OSCE region”, he said. “We fully support Pope Leo XIV’s call to ‘disarm language’ and promote dialogue and mutual understanding. It was particularly meaningful that Ukrainian parliamentarians were present among the delegation gathered today at the Vatican. Security, justice, prevention, peace and the protection of human dignity must always go hand in hand”.

Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Special Representative on Combating Organised Crime Eugenio Zoffili of Italy highlighted the significance of the audience in the broader context of the conference and the Assembly’s work against transnational criminal networks.

“The Holy Father’s words reinforce the importance of our common efforts to combat drug trafficking, protect young people and strengthen prevention and education”, he said. “We are honoured to have presented His Holiness with a copy of the Helsinki Final Act, the founding document of the OSCE process and a symbol of dialogue, co-operation and peace”.

During the audience, President Pons and Vice-President Zoffili presented Pope Leo XIV with a copy of the Helsinki Final Act on behalf of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

POPE LEO IV’s SPEECH –

“With profound hope and pastoral concern, I greet you as you gather for the Second International Conference on the Fight against Drugs and Organized Crime in the OSCE Region, dedicated to the grave and urgent struggle against the scourge of illicit drugs. Your presence, drawn from many of the OSCE participating States stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok, stands as a testimony of collective resolve to confront a phenomenon that sustains criminal networks and imperils the very future of our societies.

The Holy See is firmly convinced that the rule of law, crime prevention and criminal justice must advance together in unity. Indeed, the authentic implementation of the rule of law remains indispensable for integral human development. No truly just society can endure unless the law — and not the arbitrary will of individuals — remains sovereign (cf. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 408), while no person or group, regardless of power or status, may ever claim the right to violate the dignity and rights of others or of their communities. Therefore, preventing and responding to criminal activities is closely interrelated with the respect for and protection of universal human rights. This requires not only the efforts of law enforcement authorities but also the engagement of society at large, at both the national and the international levels.

In this regard, the Holy See wholeheartedly supports every initiative that seeks to establish an effective, just, humane and credible criminal justice system capable of preventing and countering the production and the trafficking of illicit drugs. Recognizing that true justice cannot be satisfied with punishment alone, such efforts must likewise embrace approaches marked by perseverance and mercy, aimed at the re-education and full reintegration of offenders into the fabric of society. The same respect for the inherent dignity of every person, including those who have committed crimes, precludes the use of the death penalty, torture, and every form of cruel or degrading punishment.

Comprehensive programs are needed to reach out to those enslaved by addiction, offering them medical treatment, psychological support and sustained rehabilitation. Such a multidisciplinary approach must regard the human person in his or her entirety, rising above purely repressive measures and permissive solutions, both of which fail to liberate individuals from the chains of dependence. In this way, they may rediscover and live anew the fullness of their God-given dignity.

Moreover, I wish to emphasize that education is key to prevention. It forms the foundation of integral human development and equips children and youth to recognize the profound devastation brought by drugs. In our time, when social media so often disseminates dangerous misinformation that trivializes these risks, education must begin within the family and be strengthened in the school, imparting accurate scientific knowledge of the ruinous effects of narcotics upon the brain, the body, personal conduct and the common good of the community.

Preventing and countering organized crime is essential to building safe, just and stable societies. From this perspective, I would like to acknowledge all law-enforcement officers and members of the judiciary who have sacrificed their lives or suffered injury in the courageous performance of their duties. Their witness should provoke in us sentiments of gratitude, responsibility and renewed determination.

The Catholic Church, through its many institutions around the world and drawing upon her long experience in accompanying those afflicted by addiction, stands ready to deepen still further her bond of fruitful cooperation with civil society. Together, in a spirit of mutual respect and shared responsibility, we can promote policies that truly serve the common good and the inalienable dignity of every human being.

May this Conference bear abundant and lasting fruit in strategies of transnational cooperation, effective prevention and genuine hope. Upon all of you, upon your deliberations and upon the peoples you represent, I invoke God’s abundant blessings of wisdom, courage and enduring peace. Thank you”.

Team Maverick.