U.S. FUNDS ANTI-NARCOTICS PROGRAMS

Colombo, October 21, 2004. The United States today donated $ US 330,000 to the Colombo Plan to assist in combating drug use among Asian youth. At a brief ceremony held today at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead handed over a check to Mr. Kittipan Kanjanapipatkul, Secretary-General of the Colombo Plan. Ambassador Lunstead conveyed his appreciation for the Colombo Plan's Drug Advisory Program (DAP) efforts in this area and noted that today's contribution was a sign of the continuing U.S. faith in the DAP's programs. The DAP will use these funds to implement two major projects: the Third Asian Youth Congress, to be held in Singapore in November 2004, and the establishment of 12 outreach centers throughout six Asian countries. At the Singapore congress, youth from the Colombo Plan's Asian member countries will be given training which will empower them to take leadership roles in drug prevention efforts in their respective countries. This is the third in a series of DAP programs involving youth funded by the U.S. government. One of the tools developed during the Second Asian Youth Congress, held in Maldives in 2003, was a DAP manual entitled “Life Skills for Youth,” a copy of which was presented to Ambassador Lunstead at the check handover ceremony.

The twelve Outreach Centers will be established by the Colombo DAP, in collaboration with its member countries, in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand to establish outreach/drop-in centers focused on community-based prevention, early intervention and aftercare services. This initiative is designed to address the high relapse rates of addicts in the region and the lack of effective services in the community.

Secretary-General Kanjanapipatkul expressed his appreciation to the U.S. government for the strong and continued support to the Colombo Plan's Drug Advisory Program and thanked Ambassador Lunstead and his staff at the U.S. Embassy for their assistance and cooperation.