Vietnam ready to join regional effort to control drug crimes

Thứ Sáu, 19/10/2018, 15:23

PSNews - The 6^th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters was officially opened on October 18 in Hanoi.

At the opening ceremony.

The event is held by the Permanent Bureau of Drug Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Vietnam National Committee for Aids, Drugs and Prostitute Control.

The ASEAN member countries reached high consensus when issuing a joint statement on drug matters at a special session of the United Nation General Assembly on global drug problems in New York in 2016.

The joint statement affirmed the consistent stance and responsible voice of ASEAN in the international arena on global drug issues, and demonstrated the bloc’s hard-line with drugs, its opposition to the idea to legalize the use of drugs and its roadmap to build a drug-free ASEAN Community.

ASEAN has developed and adopted an Action Plan to protect the ASEAN Community from drug menace in the 2016-2025 period, implemented the cooperation plan among ASEAN member countries in preventing and fighting illegal drug production and transportation in the Golden Triangle in the 2017-2018 period, and realized various initiatives, including the building of the information center for drug prevention and control, setting up law enforcement groups to control drug trafficking at air and sea ports.

Minister To Lam speaks at the event.

Speaking at the opening session, Minister of Public Security To Lam emphasized that the formation of ASEAN Community is significant to Vietnam, as it marked more than 20 years of Vietnam’s o membership of ASEAN and its participation in international effort to prevent and fight drug-related crimes.

Being aware that drug matters require long-term solutions, the Government of Vietnam gives regular priority for drug prevention and combat.

Over the past years, the country has taken synchronous measures to reduce the supplies and demands of drugs, tried to complete the legal framework on drug control, as well as consolidate the organization of agencies and forces in charge of drug prevention and combat, and resolutely fought and strictly handled drug-related crimes while promoting bilateral cooperation with both ASEAN and non-ASEAN countries, particularly with neighboring countries, and attaching importance to regional cooperation in preventing and fighting drug crimes.

Minister To Lam also suggested ASEAN member countries should keep consensus on anti-drug policies and united view on global drug control, and turn the ASEAN cooperation mechanism on drug prevention and control into a model of regional cooperation on, and promote ASEAN's role in the drug control system of the world.

Minister Lam emphasized that Vietnam is ready to participate responsibly in all relevant regional activities to contribute its part to promoting drug prevention and control in the region.

By Duy Tien