COPOLAD III Annual Meeting in La Paz (Bolivia)

More than 150 officials from Latin American, Caribbean and European Union (EU) agencies involved in drug policies in the areas of public health, security and the fight against drug trafficking will participate in La Paz in the Annual Meeting of COPOLAD III, the Latin American, Caribbean and EU Cooperation Program on Drug Policies.

The Meeting, which is being held February 20-21 in La Paz under the title ‘For more humane and effective drug policies’, reinforces the importance of international cooperation in the face of the global phenomenon of growing drug supply and demand.

During the sessions, issues such as addressing the vulnerabilities of certain groups or improving access to quality care services and social inclusion will be discussed. In the area of supply reduction, the control of chemical precursors for the manufacture of illegal drugs will be analyzed and strategies against drug trafficking and money laundering by criminal groups will be discussed. Innovative approaches to alternative development will also be discussed, as well as the challenges and opportunities for improving proportionality and criminal alternatives to minor drug offenses.

Technical and political dialogue

This technical analysis, organized by COPOLAD III, will energize the bi-regional exchange on drug policies and precedes the political dialogue to be held on Wednesday through the EU-CELAC (European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Mechanism for Cooperation and Coordination on Drugs, co-chaired by Bolivia and Belgium. The importance of this long-standing mechanism was highlighted by the heads of state and government of the EU and CELAC in the final declaration of the summit held in Brussels in 2023.

Among the institutional representation attending the meeting are the Belgian Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden, and his counterparts from Bolivia, Eduardo del Castillo. 

The COPOLAD III Annual Meeting is intended as a technical space for accountability and exchange of experiences between the Program’s partner agencies and the countries of the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean. The meeting will also serve to highlight the added value of COPOLAD III in its comprehensive approach, a hallmark of the EU Drugs Strategy, which is distinguished by its balanced approach to efforts to reduce both the supply and demand of narcotics.

As Borja Díaz, director of COPOLAD III, explains, “In the search for comprehensive solutions, we focus on alternative and sustainable development, as well as international cooperation to investigate drug trafficking, illicit capital, money laundering and the control of chemical precursors. In addition, we promote criminal alternatives for minor drug-related offenses. Our contribution is based on a multi-actor approach, inter-institutional coordination and the mobilization of public talent, establishing strategic alliances with international networks and organizations, addressing challenges jointly and promoting dialogue between the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean”.