DRUG MATTERS

247. Demand reduction programmes towards the end of creating a drug-free ASEAN were at the centre of decisions taken by the 18th Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Abuse (ASOD) when they met in August 1995. Their position was strengthened by the Fifth ASEAN Summit’s exhortation to "further enhance cooperative efforts against drug abuse and illicit trafficking with special emphasis being given to demand reduction programmes”.

248. The Work Programme to operationalise the ASEAN Three-Year Plan of Action on Drug Abuse Control outlined ten projects, six of which focused on demand reduction. The Work Programme was developed by the ASEAN Secretariat with assistance from the UNDP under its ASP-V Sub-programme.

249. Endeavouring to achieve the drug-free ASEAN goal, ASOD marked a milestone when it approved efforts to achieve self-sufficiency through cost-sharing when implementing priority regional projects in drug control at its 18th Meeting. In line with this decision, seven of the ten projects under the Work Programme would be considered for implementation on a cost-sharing basis.

250. At the same meeting, ASOD also agreed that the five project proposals in Table 18 would be implemented.

251. Two projects were implemented in 1996. The first of these, Training on Effective Management in Preventive Drug Education, was held from 17-21 June 1995 at the ASBHN Training Centre for Preventive Drug Education of the University of the Philippines. The programme aimed to enhance the management skills of those involved in the administration of preventive drug education.

252. The second project, ASEAN Seminar on Mutual Legal Assistance, was held in Brunei Darussalam from 24-28 June 1996. The seminar examined existing arrangements, limitations and prospects for enhancing the effectiveness of mutual legal assistance cooperation among the ASEAN Member Countries. In response to a request from the ASOD Focal Point in Brunei Darussalam, the ASEAN Secretariat obtained funding support from the UNDCP for an expert to serve as resource person for the seminar. Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar also attended the seminar.

253. ASOD further agreed that three projects pertaining to out-of-school youths, intelligence operations management and precursor chemicals would be further developed for funding consideration by an ASEAN Dialogue Partner. The revised project proposals have been circulated for comment among the ASOD focal points.

254. In view of the fact that the illicit trade in drugs respected no boundaries, international cooperation is vital in curbing illicit trafficking. Hence ASOD decided that non-ASEAN observers should attend future meetings. Cambodia, Laos, Hong Kong, UNDCP, INTERPOL and Myanmar will be Observers at the 19th ASOD Meeting in September 1996 in Vietnam. The last two parties attended the 18th ASOD Meeting as Observers.

255. Furthermore, the 29th ASC at its Manado Meeting approved the participation of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar on a Dialogue in the two projects under the Work Programme that were implemented in 1996. Their participation was either self-funded or supported by a Dialogue Partner.

256. ASEAN-EU collaboration in drug matters was also discussed at the 12th Meeting of the ASEAN-EC Joint Cooperation Committee held in October 1995 in Brussels. A Sub-committee on Narcotics was set up but details for a meeting to draft guidelines have not been finalised. The EU informed ASEAN of its intention to conclude agreements on drug precursors control between the EC and each of the ASEAN countries on a bi-lateral basis.

257. Two projects under the ASEAN-EU Three-Year Plan of Action on Preventive Drug Education are currently being implemented, namely:

258. The regional seminar, ASEAN Media Update on Strengthening Preventive Drug Education Programmes was convened in Manila from 20 to 24 November 1995 to provide guidelines to enhance the efficacy of media campaigns on drug prevention. A meeting of national project coordinators to discuss problems encountered in project implementation will be held in 1996 in Bangkok, pending receipt of the balance of project funds from the European Commission.

259. With the funding support of the EU, the ASEAN Training Courses for Drug Rehabilitation Professionals project is being prepared for implementation by the project coordinator, Malaysia's Anti-Narcotics Task Force.