Antwerpen, 20.10.97

Dear Ottavio Marzocchi,

Herewith I send you some general information on the Conference in Torino. We

are currently preparing the agenda for this Conference. If you wish to

attend, you are wellcome to notify us before the mentioned dates. You will

then receive all details on the content and the logistical arrangements.

Thank you for your interest, and I hope to see you in Torino,

Kind regards,

Joep Oomen

The search for peace in the war on drugs

AN NGO CONFERENCE ON DRUGS AND ITS IMPACT ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Drugs is a hot domestic issue in most EU member states. But it is also an

international issue par excellence, connecting the impoverished coca grower

of Bolivia with the youth of Berlin, the Pakistan drug baron, with the

banker in London.

Since the outburst of the contemporary drugs problem in the 1970s, drugs has

also become a development issue. The fact that the production of 'natural'

drugs (like heroin, cocaine and marihuana) in developing countries all over

the world is increasing rapidly does not only respond to a growing demand

from the North. It is intimately linked to issues such as poverty,

inequitable land distribution, structural adjustment, military conflicts and

unjust international trade which deny whole communities the opportunity to

make a decent living from legal means.

Because of their role in the drug trade, third world countries have long

been a major focus for international drug control efforts led by the United

States. Over the last years, however, the European Union and its Member

States have played an ever greater role directly through their own

programmes or via contributions to the United Nations' Drug Control

Programme, UNDCP.

The basic assumption of international drug control policy is that the drugs

trade has noxious consequences for developing countries, just as it has for

the developed world. But, as study reveals, drug control policies may

themselves have negative and counterproductive effects for key components of

development including democracy, human rights, economic development and

environment.

In April 1993, a number of European NGO's who are concerned about the impact

of drugs and drug control policies on developing countries founded a

network, called the European NGO Council On Drugs and Development, ENCOD.

Since then, ENCOD has been active in joint advocay campaigns aimed at the

general public and at policy-makers, in order to improve understanding of

the causes and effects of the drug trade and contribute to the elaboration

of drug control policies that are just, effective and more coherent with

general development objectives.

In the past years, a variety of themes has been dealt with, such as the

status of the coca leaf in international legislation, the impact of trade

preferences as a tool to promote alternative income for peasants involved in

drug-related cultivation, and the conditioning of economic aid to drug

control performance. In its activities, ENCOD is co-operating with a large

number of researchers and development organisations in the South, as well as

with associations of peasants.

Meanwhile, international dialogue on the drugs issue has been developing as

well. In June 1998, the United Nations will dedicate a Special Session of

the General Assembly on the drugs issue in New York. This UNGASS represents

an important opportunity for NGO's to present the need to revise the current

international drug control policies and proposals for change. ENCOD wishes

to contribute to this objective by forming an international coalition of

NGO's interested in the issue.

Therefore, ENCOD invites all European NGO's who wish to participate in the

preparatory work for the UNGASS on Drugs to attend its annual General

Conference, that will be held in Torino, Italy, on 30 November and 1

December, 1997. Organisations can participate either as observer or as a

member of the network. If you wish to become a member, please contact ENCOD'

secretariat before 1 November. If you wish to participate as an observer,

please notify us before 15 November. You will then receive further details

on the programme and logistical arrangements.

Contact:

ENCOD - European NGO Council on Drugs and Development

145, Lange Nieuwstraat - 2000 Antwerpen - Belgium

Tel.: 32 3 226 4511

Fax.: 32 3 226 3476

E-mail: encod@glo.be

EUROPEAN NGO COUNCIL ON DRUGS AND DEVELOPMENT

COCA'97 / EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT ON DRUGS AND DEVELOPMENT

Lange Nieuwstraat 145

2000 Antwerpen

Belgium

Tel. 32 3 226 4511 / Fax. 32 3 226 3476

E-mail: encod@glo.be