Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD)

Cooperation between CICAD-OAS and the EMCDDA was already foreseen in the EU/Latin America/Caribbean Action Plan formally adopted by the Heads of State and Government Summit held in Rio de Janeiro on 28 June 1999.

In October 2000, the EMCDDA and CICAD-OAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding formally establishing cooperation between the two organisations. This Memorandum represents a major step forward in national, European and international efforts to combat the global drug problem. Cooperation between the two organisations enables CICAD and the EMCDDA to jointly improve the collection and analysis of data and documentation on drugs; to develop and promote uniform data/comparison and documentation and analysis methods; and to intensify the dissemination of information. It is also aimed at coordinating their efforts to achieve the best use of available information and to ensure the most effective utilisation of their resources to this end.

The Memorandum unites the EMCDDA and CICAD-OAS in:

• improving the collection and analysis of data
• developing and promoting data-comparison methods; and
• enhancing the dissemination of information.

The cooperation involves the EMCDDA’s participation as an observer in CICAD regular sessions and CICAD experts in EU experts meetings on an ad hoc basis as well as the participation of EMCDDA staff in CICAD technical and specific meetings, including special events such as the Drugs Summits of European, Latin American and Caribbean Mayors and Cities.

The two organisations prepared a handbook on National Drug Observatories that was published in October 2010. This handbook is a significant part of a strategic partnership with the aim to further support the establishment of a national monitoring capacity in their respective member states.