The COPOLAD II Programme for international cooperation between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on drug policies, managed by FIIAPP, participated in the fifth dialogue in the series “Towards a new international drug strategy”, which was organised by the Mexican Foreign Ministry and held from 1st to 3rd February in Mexico City.

This dialogue, “International cooperation, common and shared responsibility and effective collaboration between international agencies” seeks to boost adherence to the drug-policy recommendations proposed at the most recent UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS 2016).

During her speech, COPOLAD director Teresa Salvador indicated the importance of this European programme as an instrument to serve the optimisation of drug policies capable of responding effectively to the significant challenges discussed in UNGASS 2016. She also highlighted COPOLAD’s work in the creation of synergies between the countries of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean for the purpose of consolidating public policies on drugs that respect human rights, gender equality, public health and safety concerns and which support the consolidation of democratic institutions that work for the prevention and control of the problems associated with drugs.

This meeting was also attended by representatives of various key institutions, such as the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD-OAS), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Women, among others.

COPOLAD Programme

COPOLAD is a cooperation programme on drug policies between the EU and CELAC aimed at improving the coherence, balance and impact of these policies through strengthening the exchange of experiences and coordination between the two regions.

Currently, it is in its second implementation phase, which has a duration of three years, from 2016 to 2019. It has a budget of €10 million funded entirely by the European Commission and is administered by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP).

Mexico, committed to COPOLAD

The United Nations General Assembly holds regular sessions each year in which the member states discuss topics of general interest. In addition, whenever circumstances warrant it, special sessions are called at the request of the United Nations Security Council or the member states. To date, there have been a total of 30 special sessions.

In 2012, the Government of Mexico, along with those of Colombia and Guatemala, requested a special session on the subject of drugs, which was held in 2016.

This special session, UNGASS, was attended by the relevant international actors and institutions in the fight against drugs, including COPOLAD.

Currently, Mexico is one of the countries that collaborates with COPOLAD, doing so through the National Council Against Addictions (CONADIC), an agency of Mexico’s Secretariat of Health. Its mission is to articulate the national policy related to the research, prevention, treatment, training and development of human resources for the prevention and control of drug use.

Mexico is committed to a strategy of effective prevention and adequate regulation which is articulated through global agreements to address the multiple problems related to drugs. Its approach is respectful of human rights, sensitive to gender issues and considering the importance of social-health responses as a complement to measures to control the supply of drugs.