Minister To Lam receives international dguests

The international guests included Mr. Yuri Fedotov, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vietnam; Mrs. Andrea Leadsom, State Secretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the UK and Mr. Neil Clayton Quigley, Director of New Zealand Reserve Bank.

At the meeting with the UNODC Executive Director of in Vietnam Yuri Fedotov, General Lam thanked Mr. Yuri Fedotov and highlighted the contributions and supports of UNODC to Vietnam and the MPS of Vietnam.

Minister To Lam and Mr. Yuri Fedotov

In order to enhance the effective cooperative ties between Vietnam and UNODC, Minister To Lam asked the office to further support the country in preventing and combating transnational organized crime relating to drugs dealing, to coordinate closely with the Government of Vietnam as well as relevant ministries and branches in successfully fulfilling the National Programme on Crime Prevention and Drugs Control. The Vietnamese Minister also urged UNODC to render support for training courses on foreign languages for law enforcement officers of Vietnam; to boost information and experience sharing on crime control, especially drug-related crime and human trafficking.

Mr. Yuri Fedotov stressed that Vietnam has been and will always be a partner of great importance of UNODC. The Executive Director also noted the important role of the MPS of Vietnam in maintaining security in Vietnam and in the region.

He pledged to facilitate and develop cooperation between the MPS of Vietnam and UNODC toward practical outcomes.

On the same day, Minister To Lam met the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the UK. The Vietnamese Minister said he comprehended that illegal trade of wild species was an issue of great concern of the British Government. In Vietnam, trafficking of wild animals and plants has become more complex in recent years.

Minister To Lam and Mrs. Andrea Leadsom

Against this backdrop, the Government of Vietnam has signed and participated in international conventions on wildlife protection, and issued various directives to ministries, agencies, organizations and localities to enhance state management of prevention and combat against illegal trade of wild species.

The MPS of Vietnam has made various moves to prevent illegal trade of wild species: establishing specialized forces to address wildlife trafficking and illegal timber trade; cooperating with international and domestic agencies and organizations to open training courses to introduce legal documents related to wild animals, identification of wild and endangered species, and enhance professional skills and expertise for law enforcement officers.

In response to transnational criminal activities with their good organization and sophisticated tricks, the MPS of Vietnam proposed to promote cooperation among law enforcement forces of various nations, including the UK.

Mrs. Andrea confirmed that she would try her best to support Vietnam to combat illegal trade in endangered species.

In the meeting with Mr. Neil Clayton Quigley, Minister To Lam highlighted the fine relationship with New Zealand in various areas, of which cooperation between the police forces of the two countries in preventing and combating criminals has been prioritized.

Minister To Lam and Mr. Neil Clayton Quigley

To further develop good bilateral relations, Minister To Lam proposed that the MPS of Vietnam and law enforcement agencies of New Zealand to increase exchanges of criminal information, situation, outcome, experience and method to prevent and fight transnational organized crimes, and asked New Zealand for technical support the MPS.

Mr. Neil Clayton Quigley thanked Minister Lam for his reception and affirmed that he would make efforts to contribute to strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries as well as the MPS of Vietnam and law enforcement agencies of New Zealand in the time to come.