Convened by the Development Studies Network and Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre in collaboration with Centre for Harm Reduction at the Burnet Institute Australian Federal Police Australian National Council on Drugs Australian Institute of Criminology Supported by AusAID

Recommendations from Round Table Click to download   Conference programme Click to download (word)   Speakers' biographies and abstracts Click here for details

Thanks to the Asia Pacific Futures Research Network for offering ten postgraduate scholarships   Conference brochure Click to download (pdf)   Need more information? Email conference organisers   Conference papers and additional materials published as Development Bulletin No 69, special issue, published February 2006

Dame Carol Kidu (MP, Papua New Guinea)	Jamon Halvaksz (Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies), Dr Paul Cohen (Macquarie University), Man Ply (Friends/Mith Samlanh, Cambodia)	The audience	Sonia Bezziccheri (UNODC), Associate Professor Robert Ali, (Asia Pacific Drugs Issues Committee ANCD), Palani Narayanan (Malaysian AIDS Council)	Irwanto Irwanto (Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta)

 

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Conference Overview

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Illicit drugs are linked to issues of security, terrorism financing, high-level corruption and a range of social and health issues, including HIV/AIDS, but their impact on political, economic and social development is not clear and the inter-relationship neither understood nor incorporated into drug or development policies.

This important conference will provide

• an in-depth, multidisciplinary exploration on the relationship between illicit drugs and development
• an opportunity to review different regional perspectives on how best to address the development and security aspects of illicit drugs.

The conference focuses on:

• current trends regarding illegal drug production, movement and use in the Asia Pacific Region
• the impacts of illegal drugs on development
• discussion on the priorities for intervention
• practical interventions, policy responses and other institutional responses.

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Internationally Recognised Speakers

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Apinun Aramrattana - Drug Research Centre, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
Leik Boonwaat - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Lao PDR
Sandro Calvani - UNODC, Colombia
Nick Crofts - Turning Point Alcohol and Drugs Centre, Melbourne
Jason Eligh - UNODC, Vietnam
Dame Carol Kidu - Minister for Social Welfare and Development, Papua New Guinea
Patrick Griffiths - RMIT, Melbourne
Irene Lorete - Asian Harm Reduction Network, Indonesia
Chris Lyttleton - Macquarie University, Sydney
Fabio Mesquita - AusAID Advisor, HIV/AIDS, Indonesia
Palani Narayanan - Malaysian AIDS Council
Richard Pieper - Australian Federal Police, Canberra
Man Ply - Mith Samlanh/Friends, Cambodia
Andreas Schloenhardt - University of Queensland, Brisbane
Irene Singh Salam - Manipur University, India
Alex Wodak - Alcohol and Drug Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney

Richard di Natale - Australian International Health Institute
Katherine Anderson and Rob McCusker - Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra
Madonna Devaney and Robert Power - Centre for Harm Reduction, Burnet Institute

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Conference Aims

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• To build an understanding of the links between illicit drugs and development (incorporating poverty reduction and security);
• to generate a greater sense of the depth and gravity of the issue, and to identify the need for immediate action compared with other pressing development priorities; and
• to identify key principles and policies which should underpin future approaches to both development and drug reduction.

The conference will provide information on the impact of and links between illicit drugs and development, including:

• opportunities for poverty reduction
• health (particularly HIV/AIDS and injecting drug use)
• economic growth
• governance (including links with fragile states, post-conflict states and links with money laundering, corruption and transnational organized crime)
• law enforcement; and
• security and stability.

This conference addresses the issues raised in the February 2005 report of the United Nations Secretary-General's High-Level panel on the UN in the 21 st century which “recognised transnational organised crime, drugs and terrorism as major threats and challenges to collective security and development”.

The conference will bring together internationally recognised development economists, planners, health professional, legislators and criminal investigators as well as international operational experts in drug production, drug trafficking, security and anti trafficking. Participants will include senior government and non government personnel from Asia Pacific countries as well as key representatives from the United Nations Organisation on Drugs and Crime, the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, UNAIDS, the World Food Programme, DIFD, AusAID, the Australian Institute of Criminology, the Australian Federal Police.

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Conference Partners

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Australian Research Council Asia Pacific Futures Research Network - the network's broad goals are to provide stimulus for innovative research that makes links across disciplinary and area boundaries to enhance Australia's interactions with and knowledge of the Asia Pacific region.

Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre - A specialist alcohol and drug organisation integrating treatment and support service delivery with research, education and training.

The Centre for Harm Reduction at the Burnet Institute - The centre brings together people working throughout Asia, and globally, with expertise in the prevention of drug related harm: in particular the prevention of transmission of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C among and from injecting drug users.

AusAID - The Australian Agency for International Development manages Australia's aid program. Australia, through AusAID, works with other governments, the United Nations, Australian companies and non-government organisations to design and set up projects which tackle the causes and consequences of poverty in developing counties.

Australian Federal Police - The AFP enforces Commonwealth criminal law, and protects Commonwealth and national interests from crime in Australia and overseas. The AFP is Australia's international law enforcement and policing representative, and the chief source of advice to the Australian Government on policing issues.

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Accommodation

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A range of reasonably priced accommodation is available at Liversidge Court, located within the ANU and just a short walk from the National Museum of Australia. You are advised to book as early as possible to avoid disappointment. 
http://accom.anu.edu.au/Liversidge.asp

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