Towards a definition of ODCCP’s Medium-Term Operational Priorities
1. Balance between prevention and enforcement
ODCCP has been perceived as working at the center of the fight against “uncivil society”. While this may be true, it depicts the Office as acting “against something” rather than “for something”. Therefore, ODCCP’s mission to assist Member States in establishing the rule of law (to combat supply) needs to be complemented with demand-oriented activities such as the prevention and treatment of drug abuse and the deterrence of crime (and terrorism).
How can NGOs and civil society help ODCCP to strike a balance between these two approaches?
2. An integrated approach to crime and narcotics issues
Organized crime is nourished by the proceeds of the narcotics trade; in turn, organized crime feeds resources into terrorism. With (i) the almost universal ratification of the drug control and counter-terrorism conventions, (ii) the expected entry into force of the convention on transnational organized crime, and (iii) the negotiation on the convention on corruption, ODCCP is in a unique position to provide assistance in the ratification and implementation of a broad array of mutually supportive legal instruments.
How can NGOs and civil society help ODCCP pursue an integrated approach to crime (including terrorism) and drug issues?
3. Drug and crime issues in the context of sustainable development
Uncivil society has to be redressed with comprehensive and large-scale responses that ODCCP alone cannot provide. The Office will continue to play a pivotal role in securing political will and mobilizing resources, but it does not have the capacity to sustain the large investments needed (for example in alternative development) and the human and financial requirements for technical assistance in all countries requesting it. Therefore, to make a difference and have its impact felt, ODCCP needs to be selective in its priorities and place its work in the mainstream of related national and multilateral work.
How can NGOs and civil society help ODCCP to mobilize governments and other international actors to sustain its most important programmes and projects?
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4. Drugs and crime blur geographical boundaries
For a long time, it was felt that narcotics originated from the Southern hemisphere, then were exported to the North to meet lofty habits in wealthy societies. Today it is widely recognized that the supply of narcotics (especially those chemically-based) is worldwide. Similarly, drug abuse is increasingly noted as a problem reaching all parts of the planet. These same observations can be made about crime and, even more, about terrorism.
How can NGOs and civil society assist in addressing the profound implications for the future work of ODCCP as regional specificities will have to be taken into account and best practices be correspondingly calibrated?
5. Strengths and weaknesses
In light of the above, in your view what are the present strengths and weaknesses of ODCCP in its working relationship with the NGO community and with civil society?