Regional cooperation remains the key to the effective response to the different aspects of the drug issue, affirmed the Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this morning.
The Prime Minister made this statement this morning, as he launched the High Level Meeting of the Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs (ESACD) , being held at the Victoria Beachcomber Hotel, in Pointe aux Piments.
Various imminent personalities including the Chairperson of the ESACD and Former President of South Africa, Mr. Kgalema Motlanthe, and the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal were also present at the event.
In his keynote speech, PM Jugnauth urged for the collective efforts of regional countries to tackle the drug scourge and protect our youths, while reiterating his own determination to act against drug abuse, illicit trafficking and to continue to provide treatment to victims of drugs.
The Prime Minister remarked that at a time when our region has become a drug destination point with more people entangled in the vicious circle of drug consumption, a concerted approach is required to combat the drug menace. This Cconference, he emphasised, can make an important contribution to our collective efforts in addressing the numerous drug-related challenges.
PM Jugnauth recalled that everyone has a stake in the issue of illicit drugs while cautioning that narcotics destroy life, rob young people of their future, tear apart families and make streets less safe.
As regards Governmental action regarding the scourge, he underlined that he has made it a national mission to tackle the drug problems by being hard on traffickers while having a human touch on victims. According to him, there is a need to escalate strategies and policies concerning drug trafficking and use to the level of response required by the seriousness of the situation in the wake of the significant increase in domestic drug use being experienced in countries of the region as a result of new supply chains and maritime trafficking channels.
Furthermore, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth dwelt on the series of measures that have been undertaken at the level of the Government to tackle the drug problem in Mauritius. These are: the setting up of the Commission of Inquiry on drug trafficking in 2015, whose report submitted in 2018 is being implemented; the setting up of a High Level Drugs and HIV Council to oversee and lead the national response to drug trafficking and drug use and the implementation of the Mauritius Drug Control Master Plan 2019-2023 to address drug control in a balanced, comprehensive and efficient manner.
Furthermore, he pointed out that in line with Government's zero tolerance policy, the Police is implementing a series of measures to disrupt the drug supply channel, and the collaboration between different law enforcement agencies related to drug control has been strengthened.
Other measures include the provision of various health and social services to people who use drugs, Methadone Substitution Therapy Programme, rehabilitation services and the setting up of Addiction centres in the five regional hospitals.
Prime Minister Jugnauth also informed that extensive sensitisation campaigns are being conducted, and that the Drug Use Prevention Programme namely the Get Connected Programme is being implemented in education institutions, while announcing that the Rebound programme for students aged 14-25 years old, will also be implemented shortly.
In addition, Prime Minister, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth indicated that Mauritius is among the few countries that has a National Drug Observatory, which he highlighted provides key data for effective actions. He also added that Mauritius recently hosted a regional conference involving ten countries of the Western Indian Ocean Region, with the aim of setting up a regional watchdog system for the Regional Drug Observatory.
Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs
The Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs (ESACD), chaired by Former President of South Africa, Mr. Kgalema Motlanthe, is an independent advocacy group championing drug policy reform and capacity building in Eastern and Southern Africa. The ESACD was convened in 2019 after a series of multi-stakeholder meetings, including with the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which expressed the need for a regional and expert-led initiative to respond to drug issues in the region.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The strategic objectives of the ESACD are to recommend evidence-based policies that are oriented towards health and rights; to mobilise public opinion; and catalyse political support for further action at national, regional and international levels. The Commission hopes to achieve these goals through an action plan that will be published in early 2024.
Participants will discuss during the High-Level Meeting spanning from 10 to 11 August 2023 in Mauritius, drug policy and legislation in the region; maritime drug trafficking and law enforcement strategies to disrupt illicit markets in the region; and the role civil society plays in evidence-based drug policy recommendations in Eastern and Southern Africa.
