Selayang Pandang IDEC – INTERNATIONAL DRUG ENFORCEMENT CONFERENCE (IDEC)

p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }PURPOSEIDEC was established in 1983 to institutionalize regional cooperation of national, high level drug law enforcement officials from countries of the Western Hemisphere in order to build the cooperation and commitment necessary to successfully attack trafficking organizations at every link in the drug chain.BACKGROUNDThe first IDEC was held in 1983 as an outgrowth of the International Drug Enforcement Alumni Association (IDEA), a group of graduates of DEA international training courses. Since then, IDEC has been held yearly.The last IDEC, IDEC XXVII, was held April 27 – 29, 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Luiz Fernando Correa, Director General of the Brazilian National Police , served as the President of IDEC XXVII, and DEA Acting Administrator, Michelle Leonhart was the Co-President. Last years IDEC has 91 countries in attendance.IDEC XXVIII will be held April 5 – 7, 2011, in Cancun, Mexico.Worldwide press is invited to attend the opening ceremonies, followed by a presentation given by the host nation. Traditionally this presentation focuses on the global drug threat. A press conference takes place at the conclusion of the global drug threat presentation. The rest of the conference is closed to the public.ORGANIZATIONMember Country delegations at each IDEC consist of one or two senior drug law enforcement officials who are accompanied by a senior level DEA Representative from their respective country or region.Representatives from drug law enforcement agencies of countries that are not members of IDEC are invited as observers.Presidency / Co–Presidency: The President is elected annually and over the next conference. The country in which the conference takes place is determined by the President of the conference. The Administrator of DEA is the permanent Co-President of the conference.Secretary: A Secretary for the conference is elected at the beginning of the conference and is responsible for preparing the Conference Report.Permanent Secretariat: DEA. Through the Office of Global Enforcement (OE), functions as the permanent Secretariat.ANNUAL MEETINGEach years IDEC includes opening ceremonies, working group sessions, and topical presentations. In the past, when IDEC included only the Western Hemisphere, there were four IDEC working groups : Andrean Region, Southern Cone, Central America and Mexico, and the Carribean. IDEC XX marked the transformation from a regional to a global forum; as a result, two additional working groups were formed : one for Europe/Africa/Mid-East and for the Far East. Today the working groups consist of : Europe & Africa Region, Far East Region, South America Region, North and Central Americas Region, Carribean Region and the recently formed South and Central Asia Region.