OSCE seminar identifies drugs trafficking as major threat to economic security

TASHKENT, 17 March 2003 - The impact of drugs trafficking on national and international economies and global security tops the agenda of an international seminar organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Uzbekistan today and tomorrow.

More than 150 experts have gathered in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, to define ways of efficiently tackling international drugs trafficking and its negative effects on the economy. In four working groups, they will analyze root causes, financial flows, effects on the investment climate, relationships between trafficking networks and transportation routes.

"Drugs trafficking devastates national economies," said Daan Everts, Personal Representative of the OSCE's Netherlands Chairman-in-Office, in his opening speech. "The violence and insecurity it brings stops serious foreign and local investors from investing. Criminal networks are increasingly infiltrating the legitimate economy - not just with their money but also with their ethics. These networks will not give way without a fight."

"This is the right time and the right place to put a stronger emphasis on the wider economic impact of the illicit drugs trade," said Marcin Swiecicki, the OSCE's Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities, calling for better co-ordination of international assistance.

In his keynote speech, Jan van Dijk, the Deputy Director of the Centre for Crime Prevention at the United Nations Organization on Drugs and Crime, underlined the importance of looking at the wider context. "As never before, there is a global community of interests in addressing the nexus between drugs trafficking, organized crime, corruption, institutional failure, lack of development, irregular immigration and terrorism."

"States characterized by organized crime and lack of development have little prospect of developing into prosperous democracies.," Mr. van Dijk added. "In turn, the lack of development and the weakness of institutions provide the context in which organized crime and corruption thrive. There are no easy ways out of this vicious circle."

The fight against trafficking - in human beings and small arms and light weapons as well as in drugs - is a top priority of the 2003 Netherlands OSCE Chairmanship. The economic impact of all these forms of trafficking will be the main topic of this year's OSCE Economic Forum, which will take place from 20 to 23 May in Prague.

The Tashkent seminar is the last of three preparatory seminars leading up to the Forum. Together with the previous two seminars, it will be instrumental in recommending concrete action to be taken by the 55 OSCE participating States.