Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bissau (Agenzia Fides)- “Drug traffickers threaten to subvert the nascent democratisation process in Guinea Bissau, entrench organised crime and undermine respect for law” UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon said in a report on this west African country. “Since the country is unable to fight this phenomenon alone, a collective response is necessary and this means technical and financial support from regional and international partners ”.
The report acknowledges progress at the political level with a stability pact signed by the country's principal political parties. However the fact that Guinea Bissau is now a passage for cocaine coming from Latin America and directed to Europe, is a serious threat to its fragile democracy. The report mentions cases of some top civil servants corrupted by drug traffickers. The UN secretary general also notes “it is commonly thought all that Guinea Bissau is essentially a passage for drugs, and that there is no local use of drugs, however, number of uses of crack who go the only centre for detoxification run by a local NGO would seem to contradict this opinion”.
In this situation the report says “in August, the Guinea Bissau government launched an anti-drug trafficking emergency programme to mobilise national regional and international resources”.
“Civil servants who investigate drug trafficking are particularly vulnerable to pressure and threats by organised crime. One critical matter which must be dealt with urgently is the protection of civil servants. My representatives are discussing the problem with the authorities and the regional anti-crime organisations” the UN secretary general writes.
The economic community of west African countries (ECOWAS/CEDEAO) has organised a Conference on drug trafficking in the region to be held at the end of the year and to which the UN will send representatives. “I await this conference impatiently and promise full support for this important initiative” UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon concludes. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 5/10/2007 righe 28 parole 363)
