Tunis, November 23, 2024 – The 38th Arab Conference of Heads of Drug Control Agencies and the 2nd Meeting Between Anti-Drug Agencies and Health Ministries of Arab countries successfully concluded on Friday, marking a significant step forward in the region's collaborative efforts to combat the global drug crisis. Held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers in Tunis, the event was organized in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The conference saw active participation from high-level representatives, including ministries of interior from Arab countries, the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), INTERPOL, and other key international organizations such as the EU Action Against Drugs and Organised Crime (EU-ACT), and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS). These stakeholders united to strengthen their cooperative efforts against the growing threat of drugs and psychotropic substances in the region.
Throughout the conference, participants discussed pressing challenges, particularly the rise of synthetic drugs, which have become a growing concern worldwide. At the conclusion of the conference, several important recommendations were made, aimed at enhancing Arab security cooperation and coordination in the fight against drug trafficking and addiction. These include:
Strengthening Regional Capacity: The conference participants commended a new initiative designed to enhance the Arab Interior Ministers' Council’s capacity to combat global drug problems. There was a strong emphasis on providing Arab countries with the necessary tools and resources to combat the synthetic drug crisis.
Collaborative Funding and Implementation: One of the key recommendations was for the General Secretariat and NAUSS to cooperate with the UNODC in securing the necessary funding to implement the outlined programs and activities aimed at tackling drug trafficking and addiction.
Unified Strategies and Training: The conference called on member states to develop national strategies that can better anticipate and respond to future trends in drug smuggling and substance abuse. It was further recommended that these countries unify their positions in international meetings and take full advantage of resources offered by the Regional Expertise Center for Combating Drugs and Crime (REC-CDC). This center, established in cooperation with the UNODC, serves as a hub for scientific research, academic programs, and security training, designed to bolster the capabilities of Arab security services in their fight against drugs.
The event underscored the critical need for international collaboration to address the global drug problem, which has far-reaching implications for public health, safety, and social stability. The gathering also highlighted the importance of integrating security, health, and education ministries in a joint effort to protect Arab nations from the harmful effects of drug trafficking and addiction.
The conference concluded with a strong resolve to continue building on the momentum achieved, with an ongoing commitment to cooperative security measures, knowledge exchange, and research to address drug-related issues in the region and beyond. The collaborative efforts of the Arab countries, alongside international bodies like the UNODC, are crucial to creating a unified and resilient approach to combatting the evolving challenges of drug control.