UNDCP AND INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK SIGN DRUG CONTROL AGREEMENT
Press Release
SOC/NAR/794
UNDCP AND INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK SIGN DRUG CONTROL AGREEMENT
19990128 VIENNA, 28 January (UN Information Service) -- To tighten cooperation in combating Latin American and Caribbean drug-related problems, the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) has signed an agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank.Following the agreement, signed on 27 January in Vienna between Pino Arlacchi, Executive Director of the UNDCP, and Enrique Iglesias, Inter- American Development Bank President, the two organizations will consult regularly to promote cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight against the illicit supply of and demand for drugs.
The Inter-American Development Bank will give higher lending priority to programmes in borrowing member countries addressing the demand and supply of drugs, including those in education, health care, alternative development, social sector development and poverty alleviation.
The UNDCP will inform the Bank about money-laundering issues as well as drug abuse extent, impact and trends at the regional and global levels, so the Bank can consider lending to programmes with a direct or indirect bearing on drug-related problems.
In areas of common interest, the Bank and the UNDCP will jointly undertake research projects and monitor activities in the field of drug control. The Bank will continue to encourage member countries to pursue sound banking and financial practices, including legislation against money-laundering.
The agreement is a follow-up to the Political Declaration adopted at the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly in June 1998, which invited financial institutions to include action against the world drug problem in their programmes.
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