The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced Monday that it will set up its regional headquarters in Colombia, from where he will supervise and coordinate the operations against drug trafficking and crimes in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador and Uruguay.
“The creation of a regional office will allow us to have a more effective approach in our operations and communications”, said the regional director of the UNODC, the Egyptian Ghada Waly, in a joint act with the president of Colombia, Iván Duque.
The office of this agency, which deals with drug trafficking and human trafficking, among others, will lead the operations in Colombia and will also supervise those in the other five countries.
Together with Duque and the Colombian Foreign Minister and Vice President, Marta Lucía Ramírez, Waly launched the new UNODC strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean 2022-2025, based on the fight against corruption and economic crimes and against transnational crime organization, as well as the strengthening of crime prevention and criminal justice, and the world drug problem.
The reopening of the border between Ecuador and Colombia would take place when the two countries reach herd immunity against COVID-19
According to Waly, this vision proposes a reinforced but flexible regional approach, which strengthens multiple collaborations and alliances with countries and encourages collaboration and initiatives at the regional level.
“We firmly believe that this new vision is going to take our cooperation to another level,” said the regional director, who specified that the purpose of the new strategy is to promote justice to help achieve greater equality and prosperity.
For his part, Duque stressed that in the fight against drugs and other transnational crimes “international collaboration and coordination is essential.”
Six dead and 16 injured in a bus accident that mobilized migrants from Colombia to Ecuador
“The collaboration in real time in these matters it is urgent; Significant progress has been made, but much more is clearly required to break the chain of money laundering from these crimes,” said the president.
According to the latest UNODC figures, of the world drug reportAs of 2021, cocaine production doubled between 2014 and 2019, and is estimated to have reached a record 1,784 tons.
Armed groups expand during the coronavirus emergency in Colombia
However, coca cultivation saw a 5% decline in 2019, with 234,200 cultivated hectares, especially due to the decrease in crops in Colombia (9%), the country with the largest coca leaf planting, ahead of Peru and Bolivia.
In 2019 Colombia cultivated two thirds of the world total, while Peru produced around a quarter and Bolivia 11%. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
