Mission to Morocco

A mission visited Morocco from 8 to 11 December 2009. The mission was carried out by the President of the Board, Professor Dr. Sevil Atasoy, and Board member Dr. Joseph Bediako Asare, accompanied by Ms. Beate Hammond, Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat. The last INCB mission visited Morocco in 2001.

The mission met the Minister for Health, the Minister for Interior, the Governor of the Moroccan province of Taounate as well as several senior officials from the ministries of Health, Interior, Justice, the Customs Administration and the Agency for the Promotion of Economic and Social Development of the Northern Provinces of the Kingdom.

In addition, the mission visited the National Centre for Prevention, Treatment and Research of Addictions, the Laboratory for Research & Technical and Scientific Analyses of the Royal Gendarmerie, and the National Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. The mission also undertook a field visit to the province of Taounate. Deliberations focused on action taken by the Government to implement the provisions of the three international drug control treaties.

The findings of the mission are expected to be reviewed by the Board at its February session in 2010 and will be reflected in the 2010 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2011.

 

Mission to Israel

An INCB mission visited Israel from 16 to 19 November 2009. The mission was conducted by Board members Ambassador Melvyn Levitsky and Professor Xin Yu, accompanied by Ms. Beate Hammond, Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat. The last mission to Israel took place in 2004.

The objective of the mission was to review the implementation of the three international drug control conventions, to which Israel is a party. Deliberations focused on the Government's experience in implementing these conventions through national legislation and national drug control policy. The mission also discussed recent developments in drug trafficking and abuse in Israel as well as measures taken by the Government of Israel to counteract these developments. The mission met with senior officials of the Ministry of Public Security, the Israel Anti-Drug Authority, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, the Israel National Police and other government authorities involved in drug control activities. In addition, the mission visited facilities which provide treatment, counseling and aftercare for drug abusers.

The INCB mission also examined how drug control activities are carried out in the Palestinian Authority and held meetings in Ramallah on 18 November 2009 with Dr. Said Abu-Ali, Minister for Interior, Dr. Fathi Abu-Mogli, Minister for Health as well as with other senior officials. The Palestinian areas were last visited by a mission of the Board in 1998.
The findings of the mission are expected to be reviewed by the Board at its February session in 2010 and will be reflected in the 2010 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2011.

 

Mission to Ireland

An INCB mission visited Ireland from 21 to 23 October 2009. The mission was conducted by Major Brian Watters, member of the Board, accompanied by Ms. Gisela Wieser-Herbeck, Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat. The last mission to Ireland took place in 2000.

The objective of the mission was to review the implementation of the three international drug control conventions, to which Ireland is a party. Deliberations focused on the Government's experience in implementing these conventions through national legislation and national drug control policy. The mission also discussed recent developments in drug trafficking and abuse in Ireland as well as measures taken by the Government of Ireland to counteract these developments. The mission met with the Minister for Drugs, and the Ministers of State for Education, for Health and for Justice and senior officials of Police and Customs. The mission also visited a youth centre active in the area of prevention and two centres which provide treatment, counseling and aftercare for drug-dependent patients.

The findings of the mission are reviewed by the Board at its present November session and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Hungary

An INCB mission visited Hungary from 12 to 14 October 2009. The mission was conducted by Dr. Carola Lander, Second Vice-President of the Board, accompanied by Ms. Melisa Tin Siong Lim, Associate Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat. The last mission to Hungary took place in 1999.

The mission met with officials from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to discuss the implementation of the three drug control conventions, to which Hungary is a party. Specific issues discussed included the licit cultivation of opium poppy in Hungary, the availability of opioids for the treatment of pain and progress in implementing the first Hungarian National Strategy to Combat the Drug Problem. Representatives from the police and customs forces informed the mission about recent developments in the trafficking of drugs and precursor chemicals in Hungary. The mission also visited the Emberbarát Foundation, a treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration centre for addicts, located in Budapest.

The findings of the mission are being reviewed by the Board during its current November 2009 session and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Malta

An INCB mission visited Malta from 5 to 7 October 2009 . The mission was carried out by the President of the International Narcotics Control Board, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, accompanied by Ms. Midori Kanda, Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat.

The mission met with senior competent authorities in the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment and the Malta National Laboratory. The mission also visited the Freeport Zone at Kalafrana in Malta and drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation facilities in the country. The objective of the mission was to discuss the implementation of the international drug control conventions and cooperation with INCB. Discussions focused on reporting obligations under the international drug control treaties as well as legislative and administrative measures to address the situation of trafficking in drugs and their precursors. The availability of opiates for medical needs was also discussed.

The findings of the mission will be reviewed by the Board and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Jordan

An INCB mission visited Jordan from 16 to 19 August 2009 . The mission was conducted by Dr. Sri Suryawati, member of the Board, accompanied by Ms. Margarethe Ehrenfeldner, Chief of the Psychotropics Control Section of the INCB Secretariat. The last mission to Jordan took place in 2001.

The objective of the mission was to review the implementation of the three international drug control conventions, to which Jordan is a party. Deliberations focused on recent developments in drug trafficking and abuse in Jordan as well as on countermeasures taken or planned to address this situation. Specific issues discussed were the continued trafficking of amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) through Jordan and the legislative and administrative measures taken to control narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and the chemicals needed for their illicit manufacture. The mission met with senior officials of the Ministry of Health, Justice, Foreign Affairs, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, the Anti-Narcotics Department, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and Customs Authorities. The mission also visited two treatment centres in Jordan which provide treatment, counselling and aftercare for drug-dependent patients.

The findings of the mission will be reviewed by the Board at its next session in November 2009 and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Spain

An INCB mission visited Spain from 20 to 22 July 2009 . The last mission of the Board to that country had taken place in 2000. The mission was conducted by Dr. Camilo Uribe Granja, member of the Board and Rapporteur, accompanied by Ms. Eva Fernández Santis, Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat.

Spain is party to all three main drug control conventions and the purpose of the mission was to review the Government's experience in implementing those conventions through its national legislation and its national drug policy, as well as to discuss with the authorities legislative and administrative measures and policies aimed at strengthening control for narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and the chemicals used in their illicit manufacture. Among the specific issues discussed were latest developments in drug trafficking, particularly of cocaine, through Spain; abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants and other illicit drugs; cannabis cultivation; action against money-laundering; recent changes in precursor control legislation; licit production of opiate raw materials; and demand reduction policies.

The mission met with the Government delegate for the Spanish National Plan on Drugs, as well as other senior officials in ministries or other government entities involved in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

The findings of the mission will be reviewed by the Board at its next session in November 2009 and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Sudan

An INCB mission by its President, Professor Dr. Sevil Atasoy, and Secretary, Mr. Koli Kouame, visited Sudan from 22 to 24 June 2009 to discuss the implementation by Sudan of the international drug control conventions as well as cooperation with INCB. The mission met with senior competent authorities including the Ministers of Interior and Health as well as visited drug control institutions in the country.

The findings of the mission will be reviewed by the Board at its next session in November 2009 and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

INCB President addresses Special Conference on Afghanistan

The President of the International Narcotics Control Board, Professor Hamid Ghodse and the Secretary of the Board, Mr. Koli Kouame, participated in the Special Conference on Afghanistan, convened in Moscow under the aegis of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, on 27 March 2009.

The conference, which was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, was attended by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as well as Ministers and other high-ranking officials from various countries. The conference focused on the impact that the situation in Afghanistan is having on neighboring countries, and identified ways to jointly confront threats in the strife-torn nation, such as terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime.

 

Mission to the Syrian Arab Republic

An INCB mission visited the Syrian Arab Republic from 8 to 12 February 2009. The mission was carried out by the First Vice President of the International Narcotics Control Board, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, accompanied by Mr. Imrich Betko, Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat.

The mission met and held discussions with the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Justice and the Deputy Minister of Health. The objective of the mission was to discuss the implementation of the international drug control conventions and cooperation with INCB. Discussions with senior officials from the Anti-Narcotics Department and the forensic laboratory of the Ministry of Interior were also held and focussed on reporting obligations under the international drug control treaties and legislative and administrative measures to address the situation of trafficking in drugs, in particular, amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) and their precursors. The availability of opiates for medical needs was discussed with the Ministry of Health and representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Syria.

The findings of the mission will be reviewed by the Board at its next session in May 2009 and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Australia

An INCB mission visited Australia from 10 to 14 February 2009. The mission was conducted by Dr. Philip O. Emafo, member of the International Narcotics Control Board, accompanied by Mr. Pavel Pachta, Deputy Secretary of the Board.

The mission met and discussed with the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Minister for Home Affairs, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs (IGCD) and the Chairman of the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD). The mission also held discussions with senior officers of the Attorney-General's Department, the Department of Health and Ageing, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Customs Service, the Australian Crime Commission, the Department of Health of the New South Wales and the Poppy Advisory & Control Board of the Department of Justice of Tasmania. In addition, the mission met and discussed with representatives of two relevant non-governmental organizations. Discussions focused on the Government experience in implementing the three international drug control conventions and its cooperation with INCB regarding the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors.

The findings of the mission will be reviewed by the Board at its next session in May 2009 and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Angola

An INCB mission visited Angola from 9 to 11 February 2009. The mission was carried out by Dr. Camilo Uribe Granja, Member of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), accompanied by Mrs. Li-Qin Zhu, Chief of the Convention Evaluation Section of the INCB Secretariat.

Angola acceded to the three international drug control treaties in October 2005. The purpose of the mission was to review the drug control situation in Angola and to discuss with various national authorities involved in drug control measures taken and progress made by the Government of Angola in the implementation of those treaties. In particular, the mission discussed with the Government, among other issues, Angola's reporting obligations under the international drug control treaties, the availability of opiates for medical needs, measures to address the emerging situation of drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the country, as well as measures to strengthen the control of licit activities related to narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors in Angola.

The mission met with the Vice-Minister of Justice, Coordinator of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control (CILAD); National Director for Criminal Investigation, Ministry of Interior; National Director for Medications and Equipment, Ministry of Health; National Director for School Social Action, Ministry of Education; National Director of the Customs, Ministry of Finance; as well as senior officials from CILAD. The mission also visited Remar rehabilitation centre in Luanda.

The findings of the mission will be reviewed by the Board at its next session in May 2009 and will be reflected in the 2009 INCB Annual Report, to be published in early 2010.

 

Mission to Finland

An INCB mission visited Finland from 27 to 28 January 2009. The mission was conducted by Prof. Tatyana B. Dmitrieva, member of the Board, accompanied by Ms. Eva Fernandez Santis, Drug Control Officer of the INCB Secretariat.

As Finland has acceded to all of the three main drug control conventions, the purpose of the mission was to discuss the Government's experience in implementing those conventions through its national legislation and its national drug policy, as well as to discuss with the authorities legislative and administrative measures and policies aimed at strengthening control for narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and the chemicals used in their illicit manufacture. Among the specific issues discussed were the abuse of buprenorphine (Subutex) diverted in other countries and smuggled through criminal organizations into Finland, and abuse of and national controls over khat.

The mission met the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Justice, the Head of Air Customs as well as other senior officials in ministries or other government entities involved in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

The findings of the mission will be reflected in the annual report of the Board for 2009, to be published in early 2010.

 

 

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