In January 2020, experts from around the world gathered in Bogotá Colombia at the Universidad de los Andes for the launch of the Drugs and Development Hub – set up by the London School of Economics, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, and the Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development – this initiative seeks to bring together academics, decision-makers and people affected by drug economies to discuss new approaches to drug policy.
The original focus looked at development-orientated approaches to drug economies and the resilience of communities affected by drug cultivation and trafficking.
Today, as the Drugs and Development Hub launches the next phase, we will explore what drug markets and cultivation look like on the continent of Africa. But we will also look at how a change in approach, following the DDH development-led approach could help stem the tide of illicit drugs and improve the lives of those people affected.
Drugs and Development Hub Twitter
Presenter: Lindy Mtongana
Speakers:
Jason Eligh, Senior Expert for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
Daniel Brombacher, Head of the Global Partnership and Drug Policies and Development at GIZ in Germany
Simone Haysom, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
Professor Etannibi Alemika, Professor of Criminology, University of Jos, Nigeria
Professor Jallal Toufiq, Head of the National Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention and Research in Morocco; and the Director of the Moroccan National Observatory on Drugs and Addictions
Joyce Kimani, Observatory Coordinator for East and Horn of Africa at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
John Collins, Director of Academic Engagement at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime and host of the Crime Beyond Borders podcast
Relevant Reading
A Synthetic Age: The Evolution of Methamphetamine Markets in Eastern and Southern Africa
Drug markets in eastern and southern Africa: An overview of the current illicit drug economies and recent developments, drawing from the Global Initiative's ongoing studies in the country.
A Shallow Flood: The Diffusion of Heroin in Eastern and Southern Africa
A rising tide: Trends in production, trafficking and consumption of drugs in North Africa
West Africa's Cocaine Corridor: Building a subregional response
Global Organized Crime Index
