The Vietnamese delegation led by Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien - Director of the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department, Ministry of Public Security attended the above conference, which took place from September 24-26.
The conference is a global multilateral cooperation forum initiated by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to combat transnational organized crime, especially drug crime.
At the opening ceremony, Ms. Anne Milgram - Director of DEA said that the world and many countries are facing complex and unpredictable developments in the drug situation.
Drug crimes are closely related to other crimes such as terrorist financing, corruption, money laundering... which is a global problem, becoming a serious challenge to the rule of law and sustainable development, not only threatening public health but also deeply affecting social stability and national security. This is an international problem, requiring close global cooperation.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the number of drug users increased from 240 million in 2011 to 296 million in 2023, accounting for about 5.8% of the global population aged 15 to 64.
International cooperation is not only a necessary solution but also an urgent requirement to deal with this global threat. By sharing information, experience and law enforcement measures, countries can together create a safer environment for their people and build a sustainable future for society.
Speaking at the conference, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien emphasized that Vietnam supports a zero-tolerance stance on drugs and continues to pursue the long-term goal of a drug-free region, balancing supply reduction, demand reduction, and harm reduction through law enforcement measures and socio-economic solutions to eliminate the underlying causes of drug abuse, while focusing on international cooperation in drug prevention and control according to the three international conventions on drug prevention and control.
Vietnam promotes cooperation with countries in and outside the region, with other partner countries in the world to solve the drug problem; always supports and actively participates in regional cooperation frameworks as well as cooperation mechanisms with partner countries and international organizations.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vien met with a number of drug prevention and control partners in the ASEAN region, including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Mongolia.
