Indochina’s drug fight gathers momentum

Officials from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia gathered in Hanoi on November 15 for the 12 th Trilateral Ministerial Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation to seek further measures to coordinate support in fighting drug crime.
Officials from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia gathered in Hanoi onNovember 15 for the 12 th Trilateral Ministerial Meeting on DrugControl Cooperation to seek further measures to coordinate support infighting drug crime.

At the opening ceremony,Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed the VietnameseGovernment’s determination to cooperate closely with Cambodia andLaos, as well as regional countries and the international community tocombat drug crimes to strive for the sound and sustainable developmentof each nation.

He said that the VietnameseGovernment is well aware of the drug problem, and has for years focusedon drug prevention by eradicating the planting of opium poppies,reducing the number of drug addicts and increasing internationalcooperation.

The Government has realised theimportance of raising people’s awareness of drugs as a preventivemeasure, and the involvement of social organisations and businesses indetoxification, post-detoxification activities and job generation forrehabilitated drug users, Phuc said.

He expressedhis wish that measures put forth in the meeting will transform the threecountries’ coordination in drug prevention in the future.

Participants voiced concerns of the complicated developments inregional drug crime – a region dubbed as the world’s second biggestheroin provider.

They noted the ceaseless coordination betweenthe three countries’ border provinces to curb drug criminals operatingin the border areas.

They agreed to strengthenefforts to implement the ASEAN Work Plan on Combating Illicit DrugProduction, Trafficking and Use in the 2009-15 period, and the Roadmapto Build a Drug-Free ASEAN by 2015.

They also underlined the needto step up cooperation among ASEAN member countries and activelyparticipate in ASEAN’s drug prevention cooperation mechanisms.

Earlier in the day, ministerial meetings between Vietnam and Laos, and Vietnam and Cambodia were also held.

The sides reviewed their coordination in drug control and agreed toactively implement measures to prevent drug transport and traffickingvia roads, water and air ways, and at the same time improve theefficiency of border liaison offices and increase the exchange ofinformation and professional training for authorised forces in borderprovinces.

The heads of the Vietnamese, Cambodianand Lao delegations are scheduled to sign a cooperation agreement onNovember 16.-VNA

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