Statement by the Representative of Italy

translation

original: italian

Mr.Chairman,

I would first like to greet all the participants on behalf of the Italian Government and congratulate you on your appointment to the Chairmanship of this high-level meeting.

This assembly has become a crucial point of reference in the strategy that we are developing with the contribution of all of us in order to fight the global drug problem.

All our countries consider such phenomenon as one of the most serious and unrelenting threats to institutions and to the whole social fabric.

Its transnational nature as well as its dramatic spreading urge us to study and explore new and more effective actions to better counter the drug scourge. Yet, we cannot conceive the fight against drugs in an isolated and fragmentary way.

Isolated and non-cooridinated efforts are bound to obtain partial results or fail totally.

A winning strategy must, instead, be based upon a global approach envisaging both prevention and suppression measures.

And this could be the keystone in the fight against the common enemy which is undermining our institutions and public safety and dashing the hopes of the young brackets of our society, easy targets of drug traffickers.

This is the new course of actions and strategies decided in the main international fora and at debates where authorities and experts, in a common effort, shared their ideas and experience in a spirit of cooperation and mutual assistance.

If this is the principle guiding our common effort against drugs, it must also be considered as the basis for the new challenge represented by the fight against the spreading of new types of drugs, especially the synthetic ones.

Their introduction is, in fact, rapidly changing the organization and distribution patterns and different are the places where they are mostly peddled and abused. Consequently, we must review data and information on the trafficking, control actions as well as on the measures to be adopted without prejudice to the priority need to keep on jointly pursuing precise objectives in every direction of action.

As for the prevention sector, an effective strategy must take information and education into serious consideration, analyze the most dangerous expressions of the social malaise of the young people and expand treatment and rehabilitation centers in order to curb drug demand and reduce the damage; these must be top priorities of our parallel and coordinated actions which find an essential field of implementation and development in the social commitment.

From this viewpoint, we should not disregard an accurate and constant activity of information and analysis through the development of dissemination and educational programs in order to promote an adequate anti-drug culture in every social bracket, making people fully understand the risks and real impact of drugs.

This can only be achieved by carrying out an accurate study all over the national territories and through the necessary connections with places where people, especially the youth, meet and socialize - such as disco's, gyms and schools - and hence more exposed to drug - related danger.

Yet, a comprehensive and coordinated prevention action must count on the support of an efficient organization and unrelentless commitment of both health and social rehabilitation centers as well as on the knowledge of the nature and range of those aspects mainly connected with social rehabilitation.

In this context, the main objectives to be attained are the treatment, rehabilitation and social re-integration of drug addicts by giving top priority to the development of directives and proposals to promote effective policies envisaging alternative paths and aimed at giving them new hopes and opportunities in the educational field as well as helping them to make the best use of their leisure time and, above all, to find a job.

But prevention strategies must be constantly supported by the necessary efforts of the relevant agencies carrying on countering activities to defeat this scourge which, besides having social repercussions, is becoming an increasingly worrying criminal phenomenon.

In fact, the present transnational dimension of drug trafficking as well as its devastating effects require a more and more effective counteraction in this field.

As regards this area which is particularly crucial for the attainment of good results, I do think - on the basis of the experience gained in Italy - that it is extremely important to intensify, above all, the guiding, propulsive and coordinating function of antidrug agencies. That may be achieved through the setting up of task force units. Composed by different law enforcement agenciese. Representing - at both national and international level - a constant reference point as well as the necessary structure to avoid and eliminate operational overlapping and duplications.

Similarly, in order to implement an adequate suppression strategy to counter the drug phenomenon, we must emphasize the need for an efficient and updated legislation allowing the investigation authorities to avail themselves of valid and targeted legal instruments as well as the need for a constant professional training of the personnel operating in this sector, aimed at improving their ability to combat against the drug problem.

In order to achieve the best results - as we all wish - in the fight against such a global phenomenon as the drug one, the comprehensive strategy outlined above must be based on a similarly global and articulated approach as regards the activities to be carried out at both national and international level.

In Italy the need for a coordinated action through the implementation of prevention and suppression measures has led to a mobilization of all the main components operating in this sector, from public institutions - both state and local - to voluntary associations and social workers now playing an important role: all these components represent crucial reference points on the territory.

This is due to the fact that the problem to be faced requires the implementation of a number of operational plans envisaging more personnel and units, more initiatives and a deeper capacity of countering this phenomenon in its multi-faceted forms.

The involvement of many forces and synergies among all the available resources represents the best solution to the problem and the best response to be given to the threat presently posed by the drug phenomenon.

On the basis of the need outlined above and in the light of an appropriate integration and improvement of the existing mechanisms, our priority for the next future is to reach the most homogeneous location of the various services on the territory, thus overcoming any possible gap and lack of balance.

We should also improve the connection existing between the activities and services managed by some administrations, urging local authorities to promote initiatives and projects aimed at the treatment of drug-related pathologies.

A key subject is the enhancement of important and useful tools such as the mobile intensive care units and first aid to provide a significant subsidiary assistance and help to the traditional treatments, above all in the poorest urban areas and inner cities, directing it to those drug abusers who do not apply to the health facilities.

It is also necessary to enhance the prevention services of anti-drug agencies by patrolling risk areas and places where drugs are peddled.

Based on the said experience and objectives, only a few days ago a very important meeting, anticipated by a parliamentary debate, was held in Italy, that is the second national conference on drug-related problems, with the aim of reviewing the effectiveness of the legislation in force as well as of the initiatives underataken in the past three years. The results should allow to better assess the need for further actions.

At the domestic level, each country must effectively counteract the plague of drug addiction and the international community must curb this phenomenon which is significantly marked by international peculiarities.

An effective action against drugs cannot be achieved without a global cooperation and an approach which makes no distinction among producer, transit and consumer countries.

We should summon all our strength to co-operate and provide mutual assistance in order to better develop our ability to counteract whithin the framework of a common policy.

The vast scale of drug international trafficking still represents the key interest of organized crime and, therefore, counter actions should be carried out by each country in co-operation with other countries, so that a network of provisions is set up, leaving the organized crime no room for manoeuvres.

The said scenario called for an adequate enhancement of counteraction at the international level, directly proportionate to the seriousness of the phenomenon in order to better understand and curb such a universal threat.

Within this framework, indeed, Italy provides for an important contribution, above all with regard to international cooperation in the information and investigative fields, through the activity of 20 anti-drug experts and 2 liaison officers posted to key countries: they represent effective "antennas" and contact points both for the host country and the recipient country. These officers are able to solve operational issues through a constant exchange with their counterparts working in the same region.

Many successful operations have been possible thanks to the support of such a qualified staff, above all by using controlled deliveries. These are a crucial tool allowing the dissolvement of powerful crime groups, the identification of dangerous criminals at large and the seizure of significant drug consignments.

I believe it is quite important to point out as well the value of the international agreements, both bilateral and multilateral, and the role played by the main bodies and agencies operating in this field and working for an effective and substantial co-operation.

As for the first aspect, that is the international agreements, Italy attaches priority importance to the signing of bilateral accords, both technical and political, aiming at counteracting drug rafficking and other types of organized crime.

Equally important is the accession to international conventions. In the attempt of harmonizing the national legislations on drugs and of strengthening the judicial and law enforcement systems. This effort results in being a strong and indisputable evidence of a definte willingness to enforce a common control over this matter.

As for the second aspect, besides the regional and international initiatives, a key role is played by the United Nations and in particular by UNDCP, as a tool used by the organization to counteract the dangerous spreading of drugs at the international level.

The role of UNDCP should be appreciated and fostered both for its unrelentless commitment in the field and for its buil-in objectives, among which is its strategic significance on the technical and financial assistance, especially to the developing countries.

Mr.Chairman,

I am perfectly aware that at the end of this session some significant steps forward will be made in the co-operation field.

Indeed, recognizing the increasing importance maintained by the international activity in this field will represent a significant reference for the development of new and more stringent agreements aimed at counteracting what today is one of the most worrying plagues of our society.