2. Institutional Development
In March 1996, President Ernesto Zedillo and President William Clinton agreed to create the High-Level Contact Group on Drug Control (HLCG) in order to develop a shared strategic view of the problem and the most important ways in which to combat this phenomenon. The HLCG began this important work by producing a "Bi-national Drug Threat Assessment" on drug abuse, trafficking and drug-related crimes for both countries; this was presented to both presidents at their meeting in May 1997. The HLCG fostered the development of groups of experts on reducing the demand for illicit drugs, combating money laundering, combating illicit drug trafficking and the diversion of essential and precursor chemicals, and addressing the problem of illegal firearms trafficking in order to undertake bilateral cooperation programs on these issues.
The new cooperative approach was evident in the "Declaration of the Mexico-U.S. Alliance Against Drugs" signed in May 1997, in which the two presidents declared that both nations were united in an alliance to combat drug trafficking and abuse, and instructed the HLCG to develop a shared anti-drug strategy, which would complement each country's national policies and programs.
In February 1998, the HLCG adopted the "Mexico-U.S. Bilateral Cooperation Strategy Against Drugs," drafted by experts from both governments. The Strategy contains 16 main cooperation guidelines and establishes specific objectives and actions for each. For the first time, the effort of bilateral cooperation takes a shared comprehensive approach to the problem, which includes demand reduction and supply reduction programs, in addition to actions against criminal organizations, to combat illicit trafficking of weapons and other drug-related crimes. In February 1999, in order to monitor the progress and achievements in the implementation of the Strategy, both governments approved the Performance Measurements of Effectiveness as an additional tool to assess the implementation of the Strategy and to analyze its efficiency in combating the problem.
In the law enforcement field, bilateral cooperation has been strengthened since 1995 with the establishment of the Mexico-U.S. Senior Law Enforcement Plenary Group, which meets periodically to define practical actions and operations to facilitate bilateral cooperation in fields such as extradition and deportation of fugitives, anti-drug programs, mutual legal assistance, attacking major criminal organizations, prisoner transfers, asset forfeiture, training, money laundering, illicit trafficking of weapons, cyber-crime and intellectual property rights violations.
Currently, the governments have in place mechanisms and procedures to design and to follow through on bilateral programs to: exchange sensitive information, share experiences in public education, treatment and scientific research, facilitate legal cooperation, and develop training programs for drug treatment professionals and drug law enforcement officials.
