SAINT LUCIA IS REPRESENTED BY OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF THE SAINT LUCIA SUBSTANCE ABUSE ADVISORY COUNCIL SECRETARIAT, MRS. NATASHA LLOYD –FELIX, AT THE COPOLAD 111 MEETING OF NATIONAL DRUG OBSERVATORIES OF EUROPE, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN TAKING PLACE IN LISBON (PORTUGAL)
Saint Lucia is represented by Officer-in-Charge of the Saint Lucia Substance Abuse Advisory Council Secretariat, Mrs. Natasha Lloyd –Felix, at the COPOLAD 111 Meeting of National Drug Observatories of Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean taking place in Lisbon (Portugal), from 22 to 26 May, 2023. The meeting provides the platform for dialogue and sharing of the progress made so far in each line of work, with the aim of encouraging the 26 Observatories to carry out research and management processes that point towards a qualitative improvement in their programmes.
The National Drug Observatories will also converge for the Extended Meeting of the European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction (Reitox), as an important input for the comprehensive understanding of the advantages of cooperation and coordination at national, local and supranational levels.
The COPOLAD III Programme has a special interest in supporting the strengthening of the National Drug Observatories (NDO), both in their technical capacity and in their level of impact in the design and evaluation of drug policies. Throughout the week, experiences, good practices, together with the incidence/impact of collaborative work with academia and civil society in the design of policies, among other relevant aspects, will be exchanged. There will also be meetings of the working groups that have been working online.
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction’s new mandate for 2024, the situation of the drug phenomenon in Latin America and the Caribbean, and aspects to improve drug research and network generation will also be addressed during the meeting.
COPOLAD III is an international programme funded by the European Union that promotes technical dialogue and bi-regional cooperation between the European Union and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on drug policies.