Convergence and divergence in the strategy on the world drug problem between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

The world drug problem has become a vital subject in the political dialogue and cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean. International relations in this regard are based on the principle of shared responsibility, which has been enshrined on the most relevant international instruments, and its focus areas have been extending from approaches related to security to others such as alternative development and health and prevention social policies. The approaches and views of countries and actors involved have been converging, and they are also determined by multiple strategies that come from the United Nations and multilateral treaties, the OAS, anti-drug European strategies and sub-regional strategies that have been created in the Andean area and South America. Coordination of programs and operations is difficult since cooperation is very fragmented and also due to the existence of ideological approaches that either favor prohibition or argue for decriminalization and the total or partial regulation of its production and distribution. Such differences were visible in the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs that was held in April 2016, which hindered significant progress of the international agenda on drugs.