Unisa online - Drug trafficking empties Africa of its wealth

Drug trafficking empties Africa of its wealth

Drug trafficking empties Africa of its wealth, creates informal economies, drives away foreign investment, impedes development, and creates political instability and conflict on the continent. These were the shocking statements made by Dr Jonathan Lucas, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Representative for Southern Africa. He was speaking at the launch of the 2009 World drug report: national, regional and global perspectives and trends, held at the Dr Miriam Makeba Concert Hall on 15 July 2009. 

Africa has developed into a major hub for smuggling cocaine into South America and Southern Africa. This has resulted in serious levels of illicit drug use. West Africa has become an important transit and stockpiling area for cocaine consignments from Latin America destined for Europe. West Africa has also become a very important transit point for heroine from Asia and cocaine from South America. There continues to be a significant increase of cannabis use in Africa and an increase in cocaine use in West Africa. This increase is attributed to the spill over from trafficking. 

The problem appears to not only be a drug trafficking problem but an increase in organised crime. South Africa has become an attractive base for organised crime units and, therefore, a particularly attractive destination and operational hub.

The report indicated that global markets for cocaine, opiates and cannabis are steady, or in a decline.

• Opium cultivation in Afghanistan, where 93% of the world’s opium is grown, declined by 19% in 2008.
• Columbia, which produces half of the world’s cocaine, saw an 18% decline in cultivation and a staggering 28% decline in production compared to 2007.
• Global cocaine production, at 845 tons, is at a five-year low, despite some increases in cultivation in Peru and Bolivia.

What is alarming is the increased production and use of synthetic drugs --- amphetamines, methamphetamine and ecstasy --- in developing countries. However, there have been seizures globally and in Africa that have impacted on the drug market. Nigeria has been making major seizures in amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), with other important seizures occurring in South Africa, Namibia and West Africa.

Mr David Bayever, Deputy Chairperson of the Central Drug Authority, said the drug abuse situation in South Africa demanded particular attention, and that authorities and government were faced with huge problems.

• Cannabis remains the biggest drug abused in South Africa with an estimate of over 3,2 million people using the drug.
• There has been a 20% increase in the use of cocaine with the number of users rising from 2,4 million in 2006 to 2,9 million in 2008.
• A 20% increase in the use of ATS has also been recorded. These are the most difficult drugs to control, because they are made in clandestine labs.
• A total of 15% of the South African population are problem drug users.
• The drug usage in South Africa is twice the world norm.

Prof Mandla Makhanya, Unisa's Pro-Vice-Chancellor, said the Memorandum of Understanding between Unisa and the UNODC was signed to strengthen cooperation and information exchange in the areas of research on criminal justice issues, especially on organised crime, corruption, trafficking terrorism and money laundering. "For Unisa, this is recognition of our institution’s wider reach, our sense of responsibility towards social issues and our mandate to be the African university in the service of humanity."