The Colombo Plan Secretariat

Latest News Updates

DAP’S PRESENCE AT THE 67TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION OF NARCOTICS DRUGS (CND)

THURSDAY, 21 MARCH 2024

#CND67 Side Event:

Join The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme – DAP this Thursday, March 21st, at M2 Vienna International Center (VIC) from 13:00-13.50 (CET)!

Discover innovative approaches at the intersection of justice and health, offering effective alternatives to incarceration (ATI) for personal drug possession and non-violent drug related crimes. The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme also invites you to the inaugural launch of the International Consortium for Alternatives to Incarceration (ICATI) which will take place during this side event. Secure your spot now by registering through our pre-registration form here: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfiktSP…/viewform

This ensures we can acknowledge your participation during the launch and in commemorative photos.

You can also register for the webinar via :

https://us02web.zoom.us/…/reg…/WN_VSKlAl-VR1qI_Xt6Younjg

WEDNESDAY, 20 MARCH 2024

The Colombo Plan Secretary General, Dr. Benjamin P.Reyes and Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme Director, Ms. Oranooch Sungkhawanna participated in the side event at the 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs 2024 on “Scaling Up Community-Based Prevnetion : Enhancing, Sustaining and Leveraging Structures and Resources Though The Coalition Strategy”. The meeting was organized by the Associacio Pro Coalizoes Comunitarias Antidrogas do Brasil with the support of the Association of Anti-Drug Abuse Coalitions of the Philippines, inc. and the Community-Based, Advocacy Focused, Data Driven, Coalition Building Association or CADCA. The meeting is aimed to share experiences of community coalition works implemented in Brazil and Philippines as well as sharing CADCA model and seven (7) strategy on Community-based drug prevention. This model and strategies have been introduced to many Latin American countries with the support from CICAD/OAS.

TUESDAY, 19 MARCH 2024

The Colombo Plan Secretary General, Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes, and The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme – DAP Director, Ms. Oranooch Sungkhawanna were actively involved in a side event during #CND67.

The discussion centred on “From Synthetic Drug Threats to Synthetic Drug Realities: Examining the Role of Global Drug Policies and Charting a Way Forward”. Hosted by the Washington Office in Latin America, with support from several organisations including the Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs, the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, the Drug Policy Alliance, the International Drug Policy Consortium, Mexico Unido Contra la Delincuencia and the Transform Drug Policy Foundation.

The meeting was aimed at exchanging views and acknowledging studies on government countermeasures against synthetic drugs, in countries such as Mexico and Canada. It’s crucial to assess global drug policies and strategize for the future.

The Colombo Plan Secretary General, Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes, had a meeting with the Head of UN Central Asia, Dr. Milos Stojanovic. The meeting discussed possible future collaboration with The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme – DAP, especially focusing on capacity building programmes utilizing the Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) and Universal Prevention Curriculum (UPC) in Central Asia.

Ms. Oranooch Sungkhawannathe, the DAP Director, participated in a side event at #CND67. The discussion centred on “Working Systematically in Counselling and Case Management”. The meeting was organised by the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association, with support from the Association for Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers of Macau, the Fourth Wave Foundation, and the Turkish Green Crescent.The meeting shared Singaporean experiences on rehabilitation and an after-care model as a compulsory approach by the Singaporean government. The rehabilitation and after-care process in Singapore lasts for a maximum of 5 years with involvement from all local authorities.

MONDAY, 18 MARCH 2024

At #CND67, commencing the day with a pivotal discussion on “Early Warning Systems as an Essential Tool for Detecting and Responding to Synthetic Drugs”.

Ms. Oranooch Sungkhawanna, Director of the The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme – DAP, joined the dialogue, addressing strategies to combat the synthetic drug crisis.

The meeting was organized by the Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States with the support of many nations, including Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Colombia, and more. The session underscored the expansion of the Inter-America observatory on Drugs to cover over 17 countries. Data input into the system is continually maintained and reflected in several early warning publications throughout the year.

SATURDAY, 16 MARCH 2024

At the High-level Segment plenary meeting 4 of #CND67 the Secretary General of The Colombo Plan, Dr. Benjamin P Reyes reiterated the organization’s commitment to supporting international drug policy commitments and strengthening actions against drug abuse and crimes. He highlighted partnerships with UNODC – United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and member countries, emphasizing capacity building and technical support in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The organisation’s initiatives included training programs, private-public sector partnerships, and early warning systems for emerging synthetic drugs. The Colombo Plan underscored the importance of aligning with CND policy reviews and fostering collaboration among member countries to address drug demand and supply reduction.

FRIDAY, 15 MARCH 2024

The Colombo Plan Secretary General Dr. Benjamin P Reyes and CPDAP Director Ms. Oranooch Sungkhawanna participated in the High-level Side Event addressing the challenge of preventing the diversion of non-scheduled chemicals for illicit drug production. Organized by China and sponsored by UNODC, INCB, Thailand, EU, and USA.

THURSDAY, 14 MARCH 2024

Today marks the commencement of the conference, with the participation of The Colombo Plan Secretary General, Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes, and Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme Director, Oranooch Sungkhawanna. The High-Level segment to be held on the 14th and 15th of March sets the stage for crucial discussions including two interactive multi-stakeholder roundtables in parallel with the highlevel segment, covering taking stock: work undertaken since 2019 and, the way forward: the road to 2029.

WEDNESDAY, 13 MARCH 2024

Ms. Oranooch Sungkhawanna, the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme Director, participated in the Pre-Session Informal Consultations Meeting at #CND67.

The meeting addressed administrative issues crucial to organizing the upcoming session from March 14th to 22nd, while also serving as a forum for country delegations to voice areas of concern, such as human rights. A wide array of topics was deliberated upon during this comprehensive pre-session assembly.