4th COPOLAD Annual Conference
The 4th Annual Conference of COPOLAD II: "Inter-institutional Coordination on Drug Policies: Challenges and Promising Advances" was held in Paramaribo (Suriname) on 18 and 19 June 2019. Sponsored by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) together with the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs (DGPNSD), it showed how this coordination is fundamental for the adoption of effective, efficient and evidence-based responses to drug-related challenges. The highest authorities responsible for drug policies in the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) were able for several days to exchange information and agree on cooperation actions between the countries of these two regions. A total of 45 countries from Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union, together with 11 supranational entities and international organizations, pointed to the need to improve inter-institutional coordination processes to respond to drug-related problems.
Chaired by the authorities of the National Anti-Drug Council of Suriname and the National Anti-Drug Agency of Romania, co-chairs of the EU-CELAC Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs on behalf of the two regions, were accompanied by the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) of the European Commission and by the Spanish authorities, headed by the Government Delegate for the National Plan on Drugs (DGPNSD), Mrs. Azucena Martí, who were with the COPOLAD team in Suriname.
Throughout the implementation of COPOLAD, the countries have been supported in the coherent coordination in the development of public policies on drugs at the different levels and areas involved and at all regional levels, promoting that this coordination be carried out both vertically and horizontally. During the conference, the specific aim was to identify mechanisms and instruments that would facilitate the intersectoral participation of institutions and organizations, based on the best practices presented by some of the participating countries.
The holding of the Annual Conferences of the COPOLAD programme is a unique annual occasion for those responsible for the drug policies of the governments of the CELAC countries and the EU to jointly explore lines of action within a framework of bi-regional cooperation. In addition, as an example of this necessary synergy between institutions and bodies, the European Union's own programmes have promoted consensual actions on common themes, the result of which is progressing during these months. A comprehensive report on these activities will be included in the subsequent edition of this newsletter, corresponding to the last quarter of the year (September-December 2019).
On June 17, the Steering Committee of COPOLAD, convened by the European Commission, was held at the same venue, followed by the Annual Meeting of the Permanent Council of COPOLAD, where the activities developed by the programme in 2018 in all its areas were reported and evaluated to all interested EU and CELAC countries, multilateral agencies and networks (collaborating entities) of COPOLAD II. It was the fourth meeting of the PC which, as on previous occasions, served to analyse the progress achieved under the programme up to the time of the meeting, as well as to jointly explore and suggest ideas and areas of interest for future work. Once again, the countries of both regions agreed on the importance of continuing to work together, highlighting COPOLAD's role in the field of drug policy and its balanced approach that encompasses all areas of drug policy (Drug Observatories, Demand and Supply Reduction, together with support to the EU-CELAC Mechanism on drugs), as well as promoting the formulation of evidence-based policies and the exchange of information between countries.
COPOLAD SUPPORT FOR THE WORK OF THE CELAC-EU MECHANISM: approval of the new final document of the high-level meetings of the mechanism
COPOLAD has continued to work for hand in hand with the delegations of both regions in Brussels, holding face-to-face meetings and through the virtual platform hosted in the e-room of the programme. The purpose has been to support the CELAC countries and the EU in defining the purpose, structure and type of contents of a new document for the High-Level Meeting (HLM) of the EU-CELAC Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs. The agreement for the adoption of this new final document of the RAN, approved at the High Level Meeting of the Mechanism held in Paramaribo on 20 and 21 June 2019, has been possible thanks to the intense work carried out by the members of the Technical Committee of the Mechanism through the meetings held during the first half of 2019, as well as the supporting documents and coordination meetings organized by COPOLAD in Brussels. The adoption of this new document marks a milestone in the relationship between the two regions and seeks to make the meetings as dynamic as possible in priority areas of common interest.