Ecuador hosts COPOLAD meeting between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union to counteract the cocaine trafficking routes

Quito, 10 April 2018. From 10 to 12 April the 2nd Bi-Regional Meeting EU-CELAC for the Exchange of Best Practices: Effective mechanisms to counteract cocaine Illicit drug trafficking routes is held in Quito. This meeting is organised by the Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on Drugs Policies (COPOLAD), programme financed by the European Union and managed by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP), which aims to promote the experience and best practice exchange in the field of the control of the illicit drug trafficking. During the meeting, the identification of new cocaine routes is addressed, both maritime and aerial, along with the analysis and debate of the key practical aspects over the policy research methodology and to exchange criteria on the increasing importance of the international cooperation.

More than 30 countries participate at the meeting, from Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, whose delegations are formed by counternarcotic, military and customs Unit experts, along with representatives of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - Container Control Programme, and responsibles of other EU projects as SEACOP and AIRCOP. 

The meeting counts with the leadership of the Government of the Republic of Ecuador and the Intelligence Centre Against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), Spanish Ministry of the Interior. The opening remarks are given by Ambassador Marianne Van Steen, head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ecuador, Mr. Andrés Pérez from CITCO-Spain, along with remarkable presence of high representatives from the Ecuadorian Government: Ministry of Sports (S), Mr. Roberto Ibáñez Romero, the Technical Secretary of Integral Drug Prevention Policies, Dr Ledy Zúñiga Rocha, the Vice-minister of Home Affairs Mr. Andrés de la Vega and the Vice-minister of National Defence, Mr. Felipe Vega De la Cuadra. Furthermore, they will be accompanied by Jorge Cabrera Espinosa, National Director of Aquatic Areas (S) of the Navy of Ecuador, the Clnl. Marco Vinicio Villegas Ubillús, National Counternarcotic Director of the National Police of Ecuador and Mr. Martín Tamayo, Director of HR and Peace of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility. 

The Ecuadorian entities that lead this activity are Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of National Defence, the Technical Secretariat of Integral Drug Prevention Policies (SETED) and the National Police of Ecuador.