20/02/2024
They will discuss the political dialogue of the Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism on Drugs between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
Under the slogan “Towards more humane and effective drug policies”, experts and technical experts will debate for two days in La Paz opportunities for alternative development to drug production, how to address the specific vulnerabilities of certain groups, improving access to quality care services or alternative measures to prison for minor drug-related crimes. The control of chemical precursors for the manufacture of illegal drugs and strategies against drug trafficking and money laundering by criminal groups will also be at the centre of the debate.
This meeting is part of the European COPOLAD III programme, led by the FIIAPP/Spanish Cooperation with its Italian partners in collaboration with the German cooperation agency and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
In the words of the Government Delegate for the National Plan on Drugs, Joan Ramón Villalbí, “drug use is a problem that requires a broad approach, which values the damage at the health, social and economic levels. Therefore, through these forums we want to share a vision where people are at the centre. We hope to adopt an international commitment that identifies objectives and goals based on the specific needs of each territory.
According to Borja Díaz, director of the Programme at the FIIAPP, “in addition to the direct exchange of knowledge and experiences between counterpart institutions, these meetings allow us to be accountable and generate strategic alliances with international networks and organisations, jointly tackling the global challenge of drug production, trafficking and consumption”.
Spanish institutions have been cooperating for 14 years through the FIIAPP with 32 Latin American drug agencies through the European programme. The Director of the Chilean National Service for the Prevention and Rehabilitation of Drug and Alcohol Consumption (SENDA), Natalia Riffo, points out that “we consider this meeting as a valuable opportunity to reiterate our commitment to the promotion of health and the integral wellbeing of communities. In this way, we can address this phenomenon from different perspectives, thus contributing to the construction of a healthier and fairer society for all”.
In addition to national drug agency officials, justice institutions and international networks and organisations participate, such as the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors (AIAMP), the Latin American Financial Action Task Force (GAFILAT), the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-American Countries (COMJIB), the American Network of Interventions in Situations of Social Suffering (RAISSS), the Ibero-American Network of NGOs working on Drugs and Addictions (RIOD) and the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC).
