For information only - not an official document
UNIS/NAR/1419
29 September 2020
VIENNA, 29 September (United Nations Information Service) - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is organizing virtual capacity building training for the national authorities of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru that are responsible for implementing the international drug control conventions.
The live webinar sessions for 43 drug control officials are being held in Spanish from 28 September to 1 October and from 25 to 26 November 2020 under the INCB Learning project and focus on improving the accuracy of data and other information submitted to INCB on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals. The sessions promote the use of the International Import and Export Authorization System ( I2ES) and build on the content of INCB e-learning modules available in English and Spanish for national authorities.
The interactive INCB e-learning modules support governments in estimating their licit requirements of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical use and in establishing annual legitimate requirements for precursors chemicals, contributing to improve the availability of these substances for medical, scientific and industrial purposes while preventing diversion and abuse. The modules assist competent national authorities in building capacity and maintaining an institutional knowledge base to retain the relevant knowledge. They are free of charge and available upon request from the competent national authorities. As at 16 September 2020, 766 officials from 96 countries and territories have enrolled in the e-learning modules.
At the opening of the training, Vice-President of the Board, Luis A. Otárola Peñaranda, highlighted the importance of continuing to support governments through capacity-building activities in compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures. Participants of previous webinars in Central America and the Caribbean praised the relevance of the content, the instructors' expertise, and highlighted the important role of online training for capacity building in the region. Drug control officials of almost all countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean have enrolled in INCB Learning e-modules.
To continue supporting Member States during the COVID-19 pandemic, INCB Learning has organized webinars for competent national authorities of Central America and the Caribbean (June 2020), South America (September-November 2020), and Francophone Africa (planned for December 2020).
Building drug control capacity to ensure adequate availability of internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes is at the core of INCB Learning's work and key to achieving
SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
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For further information please contact:
INCB Secretariat
Telephone for media inquiries: (+43-1) 26060 4163
Email: incb.secretariat[at]un.org
Website:
www.incb.org
