Antigua and Barbuda, on 11th December 2023 assumed the role of Vice Chair of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States (CICAD/OAS), for the period 2023-2024, at CICAD’s 74th Regular Session which is being held in Washington D.C. from December 11-14, 2023. Uruguay, assumed as Chair.
Lt. Col Edward Croft, Director of the ONDCP, in his role as Antigua and Barbuda’s CICAD Commissioner, delivered remarks on behalf of the country.
In attendance at the session were Counsellor Gillian Joseph of the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda (Washington D.C) and Dr John Swift of the ONDCP.
This is historic, as it is the first time that an OECS country has held a leadership position at CICAD.
It should be noted however, that between its inception in 1987 and 2016, four Caribbean member states have been elected to the leadership of CICAD.
CICAD is comprised of most member states in the Western hemisphere, from Canada in the North to Argentina in the South and is the consultative and advisory body of the OAS on the drug issue.
It serves as the forum for OAS member states to discuss and find solutions to the drug problem and provides them with technical assistance to increase their capacity to counter the drug problem.