|
The following text pertains to the drug problem as laid out in the Plan of Action signed
by the Heads of State and Government participating in de Second Summit of
the Americas:
PLAN OF ACTION II SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
We, the democratically elected Heads of State and Government of the Americas,
recognizing the need to make a collective effort that complements the actions
being developed and executed at the national level to improve the economic
well-being and the quality of life of our peoples, mindful of our commitment
to the continued implementation of the Miami Plan of Action, affirm our
resolute determination to carry out this Plan of Action, which constitutes a
body of concrete initiatives intended to promote the overall development of
the countries of the Hemisphere and ensure access to and improve the quality
of education, promote and strengthen democracy and the respect for human
rights, deepen economic integration and free trade and eradicate poverty and
discrimination. We have adopted this Plan of Action conscious that all the
initiatives are inter-related and equally important to the attainment of our
common endeavor.
Prevention
and Control of Illicit Consumption of and Traffic in Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances and other Related Crimes
Governments will:
-
Continue to develop their national and multilateral efforts in order to
achieve full application of the Hemispheric Anti-Drug Strategy, and will
strengthen this alliance based on the principles of respect for the
sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction of the States, reciprocity, shared
responsibility and an integrated, balanced approach in conformity with their
domestic laws.
-
With the intention of strengthening mutual confidence, dialogue and
hemispheric cooperation and on the basis of the aforementioned principles,
develop, within the framework of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control
Commission (CICAD-OAS), a singular and objective process of multilateral
governmental evaluation in order to monitor the progress of their individual
and collective efforts in the Hemisphere and of all the countries
participating in the Summit, in dealing with the diverse manifestations of the
problem.
-
Strengthen national efforts and international cooperation in order to:
-
Enhance their national policies and plans with regard to the prevention of
illicit drug consumption, and step up measures, particularly at the community
level, in schools and those aimed at the most vulnerable groups, such as
children and young people, in order to prevent the growth and spread of this
consumption and to eliminate financial incentives to illicit trafficking;
-
Develop appropriate treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration programs
with a view to alleviating the serious social effects, human suffering and
other adverse effects associated with drug abuse;
-
Increase cooperation in areas such as the collection and analysis of data,
standardization of systems that measure illicit consumption, scientific and
technical training and exchange of experiences;
-
Develop or encourage the development of campaigns to foster greater social
awareness of the dangers of drug abuse for individuals, the family and society
as well as community participation plans;
-
Sensitize public opinion as to the serious effects of drug abuse and the
activities of criminal organizations that deal with them, including at the
wholesale and retail level;
-
Improve and update cooperative mechanisms to prosecute and extradite
individuals charged with the traffic in narcotics and psychotropic substances
and other related crimes, in accordance with international agreements,
constitutional requirements, and national laws;
-
Establish or strengthen existing, duly trained and equipped specialized
central units responsible for requesting, analyzing and exchanging among the
competent State authorities information relating to the laundering of the
proceeds, assets and instrumentalities used in criminal activities (also known
as money laundering);
-
Reinforce international and national control mechanisms to impede the
illicit traffic and diversion of chemical precursors;
-
Promote the rapid ratification and entry into force of the Inter-American
Convention Against the Illicit Production and Trafficking of Firearms; promote
the approval and prompt application of the Model Regulations on the Control of
Arms and Explosives Connected with Drug Trafficking of CICAD; encourage
States, that have not already done so, to adopt the necessary legislative or
other measures to ensure effective international cooperation to prevent and
combat illicit transnational traffic in firearms and ammunition, while
establishing, or strengthening, systems to enhance the tracing of firearms
used in criminal activity; and
-
Eliminate illicit crops through the increased support of national
alternative development programs as well as eradication and interdiction.
-
Strengthen national drug control commissions, with a view to improving
coordination in each country in the planning and implementation of their
respective national plans and in streamlining international assistance in this
area.
-
Underscore the valuable contribution of civil society, through its different
organizations, in the areas of prevention of illicit consumption, treatment,
rehabilitation, and social reintegration of drug addicts.
-
Encourage financial institutions to redouble their efforts to prevent money
laundering and the appropriate business sectors to strengthen its controls to
prevent the diversion of chemical precursors.
-
Give full support to the upcoming Special Session of the United Nations
General Assembly which will be held in June 1998 for the purpose of promoting
international cooperation with respect to illicit drugs and related crimes and
encourage all States to participate actively, at the highest level, in that
international meeting. They will make every effort to ensure effective
implementation of international narcotics agreements to which they have
subscribed, at regional and sub-regional levels, and for these to operate in
consonance with the hemispheric effort and reaffirm their support for CICAD
and its fundamental role in the implementation of these agreements.
A full version of the Plan of Action is available on
the Summit of
the Americas website.
|
