UNODC continued to strengthen its relationships with key development finance partners. In 2008, UNODC and the European Commission (EC) had two rounds of policy consultations at senior official level. Moreover, operationally the EC-UNODC cooperation was maintained at the same high level as in the previous year. In the context of the Africa Union Action Plan on Drug Control and Crime Prevention, UNODC initiated a strategic policy exchange with the African Development Bank in the fields of governance, anti-corruption and money laundering, drug control and crime prevention. The organizations are also exploring possibilities for future cooperation. As a follow-up to the studies Crime, Violence, and Development in the Caribbean and Crime and Development in Central America, UNODC engaged at the senior policy level with the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to explore the potential for joint operations, particularly in the areas of crime prevention, judicial and criminal justice reform, anti-money-laundering and terrorism financing, and sustainable livelihoods. UNODC continued to cooperate with the Asian Development Bank (anti-money- laundering, sustainable livelihoods), the OPEC Fund for International Development (HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment), and the NATO-Russian Council (Afghanistan). Cooperation with the private corporate sector as well as a number of private foundations is increasingly important for UNODC. This cooperation encompasses advocacy, marketing support, project management and training. It also entails direct sponsorship of certain programmes, including research and publications, drug abuse prevention, crime prevention, anti-money laundering and anti-corruption.