Prime Minister affirms efforts to establish an international regional coalition to combat drugs

 

 
Baghdad – INA
 
The Prime Minister, Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani, confirmed today, Monday, the commitment to forming an international regional coalition against drugs, emphasizing that there can be no leniency in addressing the danger posed by drugs to our youth.
 
According to a statement from The Prime Minister's Media Office, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), "the Prime Minister chaired an expanded meeting to discuss and monito the government measures taken regarding the issue of drug control in Iraq, attended by the Ministers of Interior, Health, Justice, and the Chairman and members of the Parliamentary Committee on Drug Control."
 
The statement added that "during the meeting, discussions were held regarding the working paper presented by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Drug Control, which included several axes concerning the review of operational measures put forth by the Ministries of Health, Interior, and Justice, the role of governors, as well as amendments to the Drug Control Law and the possibility of enhancing the specialized units within the Ministry of Interior."
The Prime Minister directed, according to the statement, that "to held this meeting periodically every two months to follow up on the implementation and review the decisions previously made by the Council of Ministers in this regard, including the High Committee for Coordination among Provinces, which includes allocating a piece of land in each province to establish advanced centers for the rehabilitation of addicts and assessing the progress made."
 
The Prime Minister praised "the step taken by the Parliament in forming a specialized committee to confront the challenge of drugs, affirming the government's responsiveness and engagement with all positive initiatives in this critical area, notably the recommendations from the esteemed Religious Authority on August 12, which emphasized support for the efforts of security and supporting agencies, reflecting the authority's awareness of the grave danger posed by this scourge, which we are diligently working to combat."
 
He also stressed the importance of including reporting mechanisms for drug-related crimes and the seizure of narcotic substances in the rewards system, highlighting the allocation of necessary resources for security operations against drugs. He emphasized the government's openness to all organizations, activists, and entities concerned with protecting our youth from the risks of drugs.

 

The statement continued, indicating that "coordination has taken place between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior and the National Intelligence Service to appoint liaison officers with friendly countries to pursue drug networks, considering it a transnational crime.
The Prime Minister affirmed the pursuit of establishing an international regional coalition against drugs, with Iraq being a part of it.
 
The statement noted that "we are working to finalize memorandums of understanding with neighbouring countries for the swift exchange of intelligence regarding the pursuit of smuggling and drug trafficking networks, and unprecedented cooperation has been achieved with these countries."
The statement further stated that "drugs pose a challenge and a directed threat to Iraq and all countries in the region, with the risk of drugs now surpassing the threat of terrorism, and we cannot afford to underestimate the danger that threatens our youth. We require broad social efforts against drugs."