Focusing on awareness and prevention, this new approach, called “Youth4Impact”, is made effective with the collaboration of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for the MENA region (Romena).
In its strategy to fight against drugs and drug addiction, Algeria has mobilized all the human and logistical means necessary to contain the phenomenon, inside the country and at the borders. In this relentless battle, she has just joined several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in a new program, which is aimed particularly at young people, of both sexes. Focusing on awareness and prevention, this new approach, called “Youth4Impact”, is made effective with the collaboration of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for the MENA region (Romena).
The objective is to strengthen the resilience of young people in the face of the consumption of narcotic products, violence and crime. Its application in the field, in view of its multidisciplinary scope, involves various partners, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Youth and Sports, National Education and that of Justice, the Office for the Fight against Drugs and drug addiction, as well as the General Directorate of National Security.
According to a press release, “ Youth4impact aims to empower young people, of both sexes, in vulnerable and at-risk situations, to face life’s challenges and become more resilient in the face of crime, violence and drugs ”. It has already been implemented with great success in several countries in the targeted region, particularly in Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, and Sudan. According to the same source, the results of this program, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, are convincing.
It positively impacted the lives of 34,414 young people in 2022, according to a recently published report. In practice, the project revolves around three main axes. It is about the consolidation of legal, political and institutional frameworks for the prevention of drug use and crime, the strengthening of the response of relevant systems and sectors to the needs of vulnerable young people and their families, and finally their empowerment.
The official launch of “Youth4Impact”, on May 9, was marked by the organization of 4 “Line Up! Live Up”, understand “Report! Live” which will see the participation of 120 professionals working with young people. Promoting resilience in the face of drugs also involves sports practice and the promotion of physical activity. This is what the facilitators of these workshops will tackle, among other things.
In line with the UNODC strategy for the period 2021-2025, emphasizing youth empowerment as a cross-cutting approach, the said program which has the motto “For young people” and “with young people” enables co-creation. It is also in line with the UNODC regional framework for Arab States for the period 2023-2028, which recognizes young people as one of the main accelerators for strengthening crime, violence prevention and criminal justice, he is reminded. ” The youth program is an essential catalyst for the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Algeria, in particular for the promotion of peaceful and sustainable societies”, indicates the UN body.
Seizure of considerable quantities of drugs in Oran and Algiers
The Customs services seized more than 178,000 psychotropic tablets at the port of Oran, as well as a quantity of 785 grams of kif processed in Algiers, a statement from the General Directorate of Customs said yesterday. “The customs officers of the main inspection of the brigades belonging to the services of the divisional customs inspection of the port of Oran, in the territory of competence of the regional customs directorate of Oran, seized a quantity of 178,185 psychotropic tablets,” the statement said.
This large seizure occurred following “the search of a car coming from Almeria (Spain), where the number of psychotropic tablets had been carefully concealed in a cache”, indicates the press release. In addition, “the agents of the mobile brigade specializing in the fight against smuggling under the regional customs directorate of Algiers, seized a quantity of 785 grams of treated kif on board a passenger vehicle, as well as a sum of money in national currency from the proceeds from the sale of these narcotics”, adds the same press release. “Three individuals were arrested and brought before the competent courts,” according to the same source.
These two operations demonstrate “the vigilance and total mobilization of Algerian Customs officers in the fight against drug trafficking, in all its forms, within the framework of the preservation of the health and safety of the citizen and the maintenance security and public order,” the statement concluded.
