25 February 2002

Bush Reports to Congress on Illicit Drug Producing Countries

President Bush, in an annual report to Congress, has identified 23 countries determined to be major illicit drug producing and/or drug-transit countries.

The report identifies three countries on the list as ones that have "failed demonstrably . . . to make substantial efforts" during the previous 12 months to adhere to international counternarcotics agreements.

Following is the text of the fact sheet on the report:

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary

February 25, 2002

Fact Sheet

Overview of Annual Presidential Determinations on Major Illicit Drug Producing and Drug-Transit Countries

• Under the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, the President must identify and notify the Congress of those countries he has determined are major illicit drug producing and/or drug-transit countries. President Bush identified 23 "majors list" countries and notified the Congress in November 2001. These majors list countries are: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
• Section 591 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (FOAA) modifies the certification procedures during Fiscal Year 2002. In lieu of certification procedures set out in the FAA, section 591 requires the President to submit a report no later than 45 days after the Act is enacted. This report identifies each country on the majors list that has "failed demonstrably...to make substantial efforts" during the previous 12 months to adhere to international counternarcotics agreements and take certain counternarcotics measures set forth in U.S. law.
• Section 591 only modifies the certification process for one year. Unless further Congressional action is taken, the procedures set forth in the FAA will again become applicable at the end of Fiscal Year 2002. It does not affect the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which is still due to Congress on March 1.
• Pursuant to the FOAA, the United States may not provide assistance under the Act to those countries identified as having failed demonstrably (unless certain other findings are made). In reaching this determination, the President is required to consider each country's performance in areas such as stemming illicit cultivation, extraditing drug traffickers, and taking legal steps and law enforcement measures to prevent and punish public corruption that facilitates drug trafficking or impedes prosecution of drug-related crimes. The President must also consider efforts taken by these countries to stop the production and export of, and reduce the domestic demand for, illegal drugs.
• On February 23rd, President Bush identified three countries as having failed demonstrably to make substantial efforts against illegal drug production and trafficking during the previous 12 months. These countries are: Afghanistan, Burma and Haiti.
• U.S. assistance under the FY 02 FOAA may be provided to these countries only if the President determines and reports to Congress that provision of such assistance to these countries is vital to the national interests of the United States, notwithstanding their counternarcotics performance. The President made this determination with respect to two of the three countries: Afghanistan and Haiti.
• The President did not make this determination with respect to the third country, Burma.

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