Limbe

1. The Quick Summary (Elevator Pitch)
NASDA 26, the First National Symposium on the Fight Against Drug Abuse, is a landmark two-day event in Limbe, Cameroon, designed to confront the nation’s growing drug crisis. It will unite leaders from government, healthcare, and civil society to move beyond discussion and architect Cameroon’s first-ever national action plan, the “Limbe Declaration.” It represents a pivotal moment to forge a unified, effective response for a healthier, drug-free future.
2. The Detailed Paragraph (For Press Releases or Website)
The First National Symposium on the Fight Against Drug Abuse (NASDA 26) is a high-level, multi-stakeholder working session scheduled for January 30-31, 2026, at the historic Limbe Botanic Gardens. Convened by Living Together Source under the theme “Unity Against Drug Abuse: Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery,” the symposium is a direct response to the escalating public health and security crisis of substance abuse in Cameroon. It will gather over 300 key actors—including senior government officials, law enforcement chiefs, public health experts, traditional authorities, civil society leaders, and youth representatives—for a series of expert-led plenaries, technical workshops, and intensive policy drafting sessions. The primary, non-negotiable outcome of NASDA 26 is the creation and ratification of the “Limbe Declaration,” a comprehensive and actionable national strategy that will guide policy and community interventions for the next decade. Supported by the High Patronage of the Paramount Chief of Limbe, NASDA 26 is positioned to be a catalytic event, shifting the national paradigm from fragmented efforts to a coordinated, evidence-based, and unified movement.
3. The Formal, Structured Description (For Official Documents & Partners)
Official Title: The First National Symposium on the Fight Against Drug Abuse
Official Acronym: NASDA 26
Theme: “Unity Against Drug Abuse: Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery”
Date: January 30-31, 2026
Venue: Limbe Botanic Gardens, Limbe, Cameroon
Vision: A Cameroon where every individual, especially the youth, is empowered to live a healthy, productive life free from the grip of drug abuse, within a supportive and resilient community.
Mission: To convene a definitive national symposium that serves as a catalyst for a sustained, coordinated, and evidence-based national movement against drug abuse through the co-creation and adoption of the “Limbe Declaration.”
Key Objectives:
1. To Build a National Coalition: Forge a powerful alliance between government, civil society, security forces, traditional authorities, and the private sector.
2. To Develop Actionable Strategies: Move beyond theory to create practical, evidence-based solutions for prevention, treatment, and policy reform.
3. To Center Youth Voices: Ensure young people are active participants and co-creators of the solutions through dedicated engagement activities.
4. To Produce a National Mandate: To create and ratify a comprehensive national action plan with clear goals and assigned responsibilities.
Core Components:
• High-Level Opening Ceremony: Featuring senior government ministers and traditional authorities to establish political and community will.
• Expert Plenary Sessions: Presentations from national and international experts on public health, law enforcement, and social impact.
• Four Thematic Workshops: Intensive, parallel working groups focused on Prevention, Intervention, Recovery, and Youth Action.
• Community & Youth Engagement: A public “Caravan of Hope” procession and an Inter-Secondary School Quiz competition to ensure grassroots involvement.
• Policy Drafting Sessions: Dedicated sessions where workshop outputs are synthesized into the final declaration.
Primary Outcome:
• The “Limbe Declaration”: A landmark national action plan on drug abuse control, co-created and ratified by all present stakeholders, which will serve as the guiding policy document for government and civil society action.
Significance:
NASDA 26 is the first initiative of its kind in Cameroon, designed to bridge the gap between high-level policy, technical expertise, and community-level reality. It is an action-oriented platform, not just a discussion forum, aimed at creating lasting, systemic change.