Ambassador Olawale Maiyegun, PhD
Director, Department of Social Affairs
African Union Commission
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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1. Background and Context
2. Strategic Approach
3. Fundamental Goal and Expected Outcomes
4. 2013-2014 Priority Areas
5. Rolling out AUPA / Progress
6. Conclusion
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AU Plan of Action (2013-2017) was developed to
respond to emerging challenges associated with
drug control and crime prevention; and follows a
balanced and integrated approach to drug
control.
Endorsed by Ministers in Charge of Drug Control
and Crime Prevention in October 2012.
Adopted by the AU Executive Council vide
Decision EX.CL/Dec743(XXII) during the Jan
2013 Assembly of Heads of State.
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• Current Continental Drug Challenges
• Health & Social Consequences of Drug
Use
• Impact of Drug Trafficking on Democratic
Governance and Armed Conflict
• Nexus between Organized Crime,
Corruption and Terrorism
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Noting:
Context of rapid socio-economic changes:
growing youth urban population, poverty,
instability, exposure to violence, difficult job
conditions, work overload, post-traumatic stress
disorders, & neglect & abuse
Challenges to the effective implementation of the
AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime
Prevention (2007-2012)
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Strategic Approach
Two pronged operational approach:
• Premised on strong political commitment:
application of principles by Members States,
RECS, AUC & its institutions
• Operationally-oriented strategic framework for
coordination and harmonisation of related
policies and programmes
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Strategic Approach
At implementation level:
• Seeks
to
strengthen
continental
international cooperation and responses
and
• Creates synergies with existing African Union
Commission initiatives to address organised
crime
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Strategic Approach
• Grounded on the three international Drug
Control Treaties that form the basis of the
international drug control system
• Implementation levels, required partnerships
and reporting requirements clearly outlined
• Due regard given to a resource mobilisation
plan
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Goal and Outcomes
Fundamental Goal
To improve the health, security and socioeconomic well-being of people in Africa by
reducing drug use, illicit trafficking and
associated crimes
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Expected Outcomes
1. Continental,
regional
and
national
management,
oversight,
reporting
and
evaluation of the AUPA enhanced
2. Evidence-based services scaled up to address
the health and social impact of drug use in
Member States
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Expected outcomes
3.
Countering drug trafficking and related
challenges to human security through
supporting Member States and RECs to
reduce trends of illicit trafficking and supply
in accordance with fundamental human
rights principles and the rule of law
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Expected Outcomes
4.
Capacity building in research and data
collection enhanced through strengthening
of institutions to respond effectively to
challenges posed by illicit
drugs, and to
facilitate the licit movement of narcotic drugs
and psychotropic substances for medical
and scientific purposes
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Outcome 1 and Outputs
Management, oversight, reporting and evaluation:
•
AUC strengthened to manage implementation
•
Programme activities identified &
developed by RECs and Member States
•
Research capacity to collect data and analyse
trends.
•
National
Inter-sectorial
Coordinating Committees
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Drug
jointly
Control
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Outcome 2 and Outputs
Evidence-based services scaled up to address
the health and social impact of drug use:
• Baseline studies conducted
• Information disseminated and awareness
raising conducted
• National
and
regional
Drug
Use
Surveillance Networks established and
operational
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Outcome 2 and Outputs
• Comprehensive, accessible, evidenceinformed, ethical and human rights based
drug
use
prevention,
dependence,
treatment
and
aftercare
services
implemented
• Diversion programmes for drug users in
conflict with the law institutionalised
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Outcome 3 and Outputs
Countering drug trafficking and related challenges
to human security:
• Legal and policy frameworks in drug
trafficking/ related crime prevention
strengthened
• Advocacy for policy development
• Evidence based public awareness and
community involvement carried out
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Outcome 3 and Outputs
• Strategic information (including research,
surveys and data collection generated and
updated
• Epidemiological information on drug trafficking
from surveillance networks available
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Outcome 4 and Outputs
Capacity building in research and data collection
enhanced:
• Improved capacities of criminal justice system to
investigate, prosecute and take other measures
to contain drug related organised crimes
• Barriers limiting availability of internationally
controlled drugs for medical and scientific
purposes removed
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Outcome 4 and Outputs
• Capacity for control of precursor chemicals
improved
• Continental Common Position related to
capacity building in prevention, treatment,
research and surveillance developed
• Continental Common Position relating to
the availability of adequate pain medication
agreed.
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Priority Areas of focus 2013-2014
EX.CL/Dec743(XXII)
• Implement the African Common Position on
Controlled Substances and Access to Pain
Management Drugs
• Implement Continental Minimum Quality
Standards for Treatment of Drug
Dependence
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Priority Areas of focus 2013-2014
EX.CL/Dec743(XXII)
• Adopt policies aimed at channeling
confiscated proceeds from drug trafficking
and related offenses to support demand
reduction and treatment programmes
• To strengthen research on drug control and
on monitoring and evaluation of drug abuse
and trafficking trends
• Facilitate a continental training for drug
dependence treatment
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Rolling out AUPA / Progress
1. Drug Demand Reduction
National Experts Consultation, Kampala
(19-21 February 2013)
Reviewed existing (Drug use) treatment &
prevention architecture in Member States
Detailed implementation matrix with priority
interventions per Member State
AUC coordinating and leveraging technical
assistance to Member States
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Rolling Out AUPA / Progress
2. Drug Supply Reduction
Comprehensive assessment of the
socio-economic and security challenges of
drug trafficking and related organized crime
in Africa with initial focus on West Africa &
the Sahel (AU Peace & Security Council
Decision)
National Experts Consultation on Supply
Reduction to identify priority areas for
intervention scheduled for Oct 2013
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Rolling out AUPA / Progress
3. Advocacy for AUPA at the Sessions of
the UN CND & CCPCJ
Launched during high level side event at
56th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)
AUPA mainstreamed into CND debates
Specific references to AUPA and requests
to AU in CND resolution on “Enhancing
international co-operation to strengthen
efforts in West Africa to counter illicit drug
trafficking”
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Rolling out AUPA / Progress
3. Advocacy for AUPA at the Sessions of
the UN CND & CCPCJ:
CND resolution requested the AUC to
collaborate and provide support to the
implementation of the ECOWAS Regional
Action Plan to Address the Growing
Problem of Illicit Drug Trafficking,
Organized Crime and Drug Abuse in West
Africa.
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Conclusion
• Success of this AUPA predicated on strong
partnerships
• Substantive implementation lies with RECs and
Member States.
• Member States, RECs & UN and other
partners called upon to balance drug demand
& supply reduction approaches
• AUC’s fundamental role is to coordinate,
monitor and evaluate implementation, as well
as to facilitate technical assistance to Member
States and RECs
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THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
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