The European Union’s COPOLAD III programme, led by FIAP in consortium with IILA, and in partnership with EUDA and GIZ, promotes more humane, effective and evidence-based drug policies.
In this context, one of its priority areas of work is to strengthen the Within this framework, one of its priority areas of work is to strengthen National Drug Observatories (NDOs), promoting their technical and institutional development in order to improve the generation, analysis and use of information as a basis for decision-making.
Within this framework, and as the culmination of almost five years of joint work, the meeting ‘National Drug Observatories Facing New Global Challenges: Towards a Joint EU-CELAC Evidence-Based Response’ will be held, organised by FIAP in collaboration with the National Commission on Mental Health and Addictions of Mexico (CONASAMA). The meeting will bring together NDOs from 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, together with Spain, France, Portugal, Poland and Irland, as well as strategic bodies such as the EUDA, CICAD-OAS and UNODC.
This meeting provides an opportunity to share achievements, lessons learned and experiences, as well as to define future cooperation priorities in a participatory manner. It seeks to consolidate a shared vision of the role of NDNOs as pillars of evidence-based drug policies; strengthen technical and operational cooperation between countries and regions; and lay the foundations for a possible COPOLAD top-up aimed at responding to emerging challenges through coordinated, inclusive and sustainable solutions.
The purpose is in line with the La Paz Declaration (2024) of the EU-CELAC Mechanism, which stresses the need to strengthen NDO’s and generate solid scientific evidence as a basis for comprehensive, balanced and human rights-respecting policies.
