The European Union and Portugal co-hosted a side event during the 61st session of the Commission on Narcotic drugs in Vienna, titled “European trans-regional responses to drug trafficking and organised crime”. The side event showcased the EU’s efforts in promoting a comprehensive, rights- and evidence-based capacity building model with partner countries in addressing the drugs problem. The Cocaine Route Programme (CRP) was part of the side event which included presentations on its ongoing components – namely AIRCOP, CRIMJUST, CORMS and SEACOP.
The CRP was presented as a flagship EU programme that supports countries in Latin America the Caribbean and Africa in effectively countering the flow of illicit drugs to Europe and facilitating information exchange and cooperation of law enforcement and judiciary actors across regions.
By providing equipment, training and mentoring as well as fostering cooperation at trans-regional level through 9 different projects since its inception in 2009, the CRP continues to strengthen partner countries’ capacities to curb organized crime across continents.
Recognizing the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing drug trafficking, the side event also included presentations from other relevant EU mechanisms such as the EU Action against Drugs and Organized Crime (EU-ACT) and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC-N).
In this context H.E. Didier Lenoir, EU Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna, stressed that “drug trafficking is widely recognised as a core activity of transnational organised crime worldwide affecting development and undermining the rule of law. Faced with this common threat to peace and security, through the CRP and EU-ACT programmes, the EU contributes to stability of partner countries globally by promoting trans-regional cooperation.”
