Ministers adopt drug control action plan

An African ministerial meeting on drug control held in Yamoussoukro, Cote d'Ivoire, from 6- 11 May, adopted a plan of action against drug abuse, a news release from the UN Information Service said.

The Plan of Action for Drug Control 2002-2006, assigned responsibilities its implementation to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) member states, regional and international organisations and civil society.

Ministers from 40 African countries and delegates from several regional African and international organisations and NGOs met together with the UN International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and agreed on the need for stronger drug control actions to prevent drug trafficking and abuse in the context of African development, the release said.

Based on the principle of integrating and mainstreaming drug control into African development initiatives, the action plan hopes to create synergies with larger development programmes, such as those addressing HIV/AIDS, poverty alleviation or post-conflict rehabilitation.

It prioritised seven areas ranging from drug control institution-building, policy and legal development, increased information, research, analysis and networking on drug control problems in Africa, to technical improvements in drug abuse prevention, rehabilitation and law enforcement measures.

The ministerial meeting, organised by the OAU, was supported technically and financially by UNDCP.

Until recently, drug control in Africa received little attention, the release noted. Increasing drug abuse in several countries could become another contributor to HIV/AIDS in Africa, it said, adding that international trafficking of all kinds of drug was spreading across Africa and was connected with growth in other organised crime, money laundering and corruption.