The industry of drugs is the greatest source of funding for terrorist groups, and has major ratifications on crime rates, organised crime, gangs, and petty crimes, as well as human rights and international humanitarian law (kidnapping, detentions and murders). It also threatens the environment (pollution), health, social and family problems, it provokes poverty, inequality and hinders economic development.

Colombia remains committed to fight illicit organised crime and each links involved with drug trafficking, including through eradication and the destruction of illegal laboratories. We fight through seizures, preventing drugs from entering in our territory. We have made major efforts, and cultivation has reduced in the territory for the past 10 years.

We have lost 1,300 staff in the fight. The problem now is transnational, which affects political, economic, ideological and social aspects of every country. It is a difficult and dangerous task to identify new techniques to fight against these criminal groups. There is a growing trend to use private jets that use alternative routes. We need to make an effort to fight against these new trends. We must coordinate actions between governments bilaterally and internationally to curb the problem of drug trafficking. In 2009, we have already started to create these bilateral ties.

We have developed communication and awareness campaigns to reduce demand and consumption in Colombia. We want interactive education mechanisms. We need to make better use of the internet and other new means of communication on the damaging effect of the production and consumption of drugs as an interactive tool.

We thank the international community, especially the USA, for their support to fight against the drug problem in Colombia. I also wish to express our concern and need to continue with our commitment to develop the capacity to meet these challenges and tell the world that we can achieve a world free of drugs.