21/11/2017
Within the framework of the 2nd Intra-Regional Forum organised by COPOLAD, the country is presenting some of its experiences in this area
Within the framework of the 2nd Intra-Regional Forum organised by COPOLAD, the country is presenting some of its experiences in this area
The city of Santa Cruz is the site of the “2nd Intra-Regional Dialogue Forum on Alternative Development” organised by the Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on Drugs Policies (COPOLAD), the aim of which is to exchange experiences, identify the lessons learned and work together on new approaches in the field of alternative and comprehensive development.
This initiative of the programme, which is funded by the EU and managed by FIIAPP brought together 11 countries from the CELAC region: 7 countries from Latin American and 4 from the Caribbean. It seeks once again to serve as a platform for dialogue and for the exchange and implementation of good practices. The initiative also seeks to integrate these practices into higher-level development goals such as reducing poverty, equitable sustainable development and the protection of the environment.
During the meeting, an experiment was presented that centres on the comprehensive development model implemented in Trópico de Cochabamba, to which a visit is scheduled, and Yungas de La Paz, which is based on participation and social control to reduce the excess cultivation of coca leaf.
In addition, other topics will be discussed, such as integrating alternative development into strategies at the regional level, strengthening local institutions, community participation and gender-related aspects and the handling of natural resources and access to land.
The Minister of Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Carlos Romero Bonifaz, opened the event, which was attended by representatives of the institutions responsible for alternative and comprehensive development and producers’ organisations and associations from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The welcoming speech was given by the Minster of Rural Development and Land, César Cocarico Yana, accompanied by the Head of the European Union Delegation in Bolivia, León de la Torre Krais, and representatives of COPOLAD and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GIZ).
Taking part in the forum are the Interamerican Commission for Drug Abuse Control (CICAD) and the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC). Also present are the embassies of France, Italy and Ecuador, the Peruvian Consulate, the European Union Delegations in Bolivia and Peru, the Spanish Agency of Cooperation on Development (AECID) and the United Nations coordinators of UNODC Bolivia and UNDP Bolivia.
