Addressing the Third ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters heldrecently in Jakarta, he said as organised criminal groups and drugtraffickers are taking on a more global perspective in their operations,ASEAN must ensure that their responses to drug trafficking are equallyinnovative, equally prompt to adapt to changing and challengingcircumstances, and equally global in their outlook.
Chair of the conference Anang Iskander, head of the National NarcoticsBoard of Indonesia, said despite the progress and achievements in theimplementation of the ASEAN Work Plan 2009-2015, ASEAN still needs to domore and further strengthen its collaboration in addressing the threatand abuse of illicit drugs.
He emphasised the need toprevent drug syndicates and transnational crime organizations fromtaking advantage of ASEAN regional integration and connectivity.
Ministers shared the efforts and achievements of their respectivecountries and made strategic recommendations in working towardsrealizing ASEAN’s regional vision of being free from the menace ofillicit drugs and its zero-tolerance approach.
The conference alsoapproved the Concept Paper on the Institutionalisation of the ASEANMinisterial Meeting on Drug Matters in order to strengthen regionalcollaboration against drugs at the highest levels.-VNA