Ministerial meeting aims to crack down on drug crime in Southeast Asia
A ministerial meeting on enhancing the cooperation effectiveness in combating transnational drug crime was held in Hanoi on September 10 as initiated by the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security.
Hanoi (VNA) – A ministerialmeeting on enhancing the cooperation effectiveness in combating transnationaldrug crime was held in Hanoi on September 10 as initiated by the VietnamMinistry of Public Security.
Nearly 200 delegates representing countries andinternational organisations of Cambodia, Laos, China, Thailand, Myanmar, thePhilippine, and Vietnam as well as the US Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and the United Nations Office onDrugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh reiteratedVietnam’s determination, goodwill, and commitment in enhancing cooperation withthe UNODC and countries in the region and the world in striving to realiseregional common goals of peace, stability, development and prosperity, andbuild a drug-free Southeast Asia.
He stressed the importance of the three UNconventions on drugs, as well as the 2009 political declaration and plan ofaction on international cooperation to counter the world drug problem, the 2014ministerial statement, and the document adopted at the UN General AssemblySpecial Session on Drugs (UNGASS) in 2016. He proposed that countries makethose documents the foundation in building and adjusting drug preventionpolicies.
The Deputy PM called on countries to be moreproactive in contributing to and sharing responsibility in mobilizing resourcesfor regional and global drug prevention initiatives.
During the meeting, participants shared updatedinformation on emerging trends in drug crime and potential threats, and discussedurgent measures and strategies to effectively crack down on cross-border drugcrime.
They also affirmed high-level commitment tocooperation and coordination of activities in fighting drug crime both insideand outside the region.
Besides the plenary session, the meeting alsoheld multilateral group discussions on key drug transport routes such asVietnam-Thailand-Laos-Myanmar; Vietnam-China-Laos; Vietnam-Thailand-Cambodia,and Vietnam-the Philippines-DEA-AFP-UNODC.-VNA
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Participants at the opening ceremony (Photo: VNA) 
