UN Launches Drug Demand Reduction Network in West and Central Africa with Three-day Seminar in Dakar

2003/02
15 August 2003

Dakar, Senegal - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for West and Central Africa is hosting a three-day seminar in Dakar from 18 to 20 August to officially launch a Local Expert Network (LEN) in demand reduction in West Africa. Officials from 14 countries in the region will participate in the seminar. The three-day seminar opens at 9:00 a.m., Monday, 18 August at the Novotel Hotel in Dakar.

Local Expert Networks bring together pools of experts with solid credentials and proven track records in drug demand reduction. Members of the networks are independent experts drawn from government institutions, NGOs, universities, hospitals and research institutions that donate their time on a voluntary basis. The Networks currently exist in East Africa. They are designed to link local experts with the international demand reduction community and facilitate the exchange of information and best practices.

UNODC advocates a balanced approach to drug control, emphasizing the importance of preventive education and treatment for addicts, as well as measures to reduce production and trafficking. UNODC stresses the public policy implications of the drug issue and advocates that governments address the root causes of drug abuse when formulating economic and social policies.

UNODC has country and regional field offices in 21 locations around the world, covering over 150 countries. They represent the operational arm of the organization. Field staff work directly with institutions and local communities to develop and implement drug control and crime prevention programmes that are tailored to the needs of assisted countries. The UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa covers 23 countries using three different official languages: English, French and Portuguese.

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For additional information regarding the seminar, please contact:
Mickel Edwerd
UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Regional Office for West and Central Africa
Tel: +221 849 49 08
Fax: +221 849 13 86