UNASUR Prepares New Perspective on Drug Policies

International experts on drugs ended a two-day meeting Wednesday in Ecuador. During the private event the experts and representatives debated a common position for the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) to present the 2016 U.N. Special Session of the General Assembly on Drugs (UNGASS 2016).

Representatives of the governments of the UNASUR bloc, as well as delegates from international organizations and other countries, participated in the event organized by the Union of South American Nations and the German foundation Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. UNASUR Secretary-General Ernesto Samper, who supports a radical change in drug-related policies, was also present.

The debates took place behind closed doors, but Rodrigo Velez, head of the Ecuadorean Drug Agency (CONSEP), told Andes news agency that UNASUR chose to focus “on human rights, like health,” and to address drugs as a “socio-economic phenomenon,” instead of focusing on drug trafficking.

He said policies should target younger generations, “children and the youth,” and work on prevention and anticipating use of drugs.

“We are not addressing drugs anymore as a problem or an issue,” said Velez, adding that as the region managed to develop more in recent years, people's life standards could have increased, but so has access to illicit drugs.

He also said that among UNASUR's proposals will be a new architecture in the U.N. to address the phenomenon of drugs.

“The World Health Organization should have a more active participation and ability to decide,” as well as other institutions defending education, development, “and above all human rights, as they need to determine the policies for the rest of the century,” he added.