DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Jose Villanueva Acebal / N Digital

The Presidency announced it is presenting the candidacy of Leandro Jose Villanueva Acebal to lead the UN Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Unodc).

The nomination follows a suggestion made recently by the US government that had encouraged the presenting of a Dominican candidate to head the UN body entrusted with the global fight against drugs and crime.

The proposal for the US backing of a Dominican candidate was recently conveyed to President Abinader by Rebecca Márquez, director of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the US State Department. Márquez made the announcement while citing the Dominican government’s “solid track record of commitment to the UN and strong drug control practices.”

Márquez has noted that the current UNODC executive director, Ghada Waly, is set to step down in November 2025...