By Thomas Scaria

Colombo, May 5, 2022: Benjamin Reyes, former chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board in the Philippines, on May 4 took over as the new secretary-general of the Colombo Plan International, a pioneering inter-governmental organization in the Asia-Pacific region.

A person with more than three decades of experience in illegal drugs control in both demand and supply reduction areas, Reyes is expected to address the growing challenges of drug abuse globally, a major program of the Colombo-based organization.

India was among the founding members of the Colombo Plan that was launched in 1951 as an initiative of the Commonwealth nations for cooperative economic and social development.

Other members included Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.

Currently, the organization has 27 member countries and its activities reach out to more than 100 countries.

Reyes succeeds Phan Kieu Thu of Vietnam is the organization’s 8th secretary general. Sarat Chandran from India also had served as the secretary general.

The founders of the Colombo Plan
Reyes was in news when he presented an “integrated and balanced” anti-drug policy for the Philippines, which was however, rejected by President Rodrigo Duterte who believed in “shoot at sight” for drug offenders.

The six-year plan, which was earlier approved by the board, acknowledged that “the government’s war on drugs will only succeed if the fight is carried out in various fronts,”including a community-based rehabilitation program nationwide.”

The Colombo Plan Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General, participates in an advisory capacity at the Consultative Committee Meetings and assists the Colombo Plan Council in discharging its functions. Ambassadors of the member countries based in Colombo constitute the Colombo Plan council that meets periodically to evaluate its activities.

The secretary-general is overall in-charge of all financial and administrative matters and implements its program working closely with the member governments, donor agencies, regional as well as international organizations and NGOs. Major programs include Drug Advisory Program, Gender Affairs Program, Private and Public Sector Development as well as Climate Change.

Member countries support the administrative costs of the Colombo Plan secretariat while major program costs are supported by INL, US Department of State and some developed countries.

The secretary general will address the global conference of the International Society for Substance Use Professionals at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, UAE on May 12.