According to the government ministry, this forum will address issues related to anti-drug policies on public health, security and anti-drug trafficking issues until February 22.
Some 175 delegates from 42 national anti-drug agencies from as many countries will reportedly seek to strengthen international cooperation in the face of the global spread of this scourge.
Bolivia and Belgium will co-chair the working sessions, which will also discuss issues such as addressing the vulnerabilities of certain groups or improving access to quality care services and social inclusion.
Last Saturday, in the middle of the preparations, Borja Díaz, director of the Copolad program, arrived in the highlands.
“We received an excellent reception (…), in these days we will exchange experiences (experiences in the fight against drug trafficking) from a technical point of view,” said the expert.
Díaz expressed satisfaction with the cooperation with the government of President Luis Arce. In addition to the head of the international organization, a representative of technicians from the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (Fiiap) also arrived.
During the welcome, Bolivian Vice Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances, Jaime Mamani, emphasized the importance of cooperation.
“We bet from Bolivia that (regionalization) is the alternative solution to make the fight against drug trafficking effective and to dismantle criminal networks,” he affirmed.
In his first participation as a full member of the Common Southern Market (Mercosur), Bolivian President Luis Arce proposed on December 7 to regionalize the fight against drug trafficking.
“There is a problem that continues to overwhelm us in the region, namely the problem of drug trafficking (…). It has already become clear that the fight (…) against this scourge is no longer just the concern of one country,” he said.
At the heads of state summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Arce expressed concern that the battle will be lost unless there is a regional confrontation.
“We have been stigmatized for many years (…). “I’m not just talking about Colombia, Mexico, what was then Bolivia, but also other countries,” he warned.
He also emphasized the political and economic aspects of this matter, since, as he said, little by little all these international mafia organizations are beginning to interfere in these areas.
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