Tunisia: Launch of the 40th Arab Conference of Heads of Drug Control Agencies
The 40th Arab Conference of Heads of Drug Control Agencies has begun in Tunisia, with representatives from Arab interior ministries participating. Secretary-General of the Arab Ministers of Interior Council, Mohamed Kouman, called for enhancing joint efforts.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Tunis – The 40th Arab Conference of Heads of Drug Control Agencies kicked off today in the Tunisian capital, with representatives from the interior ministries of Arab countries, including Kuwait, taking part. During the opening ceremony, Secretary-General of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, Mohamed Kouman, called for strengthening efforts to combat the scourge of drugs and psychotropic substances, citing their severe detrimental effects on Arab societies, particularly among youth. He highlighted the conference’s importance in coordinating Arab efforts to address the drug problem, noting that the annual meeting of the Working Group on the Immediate Exchange of Information on Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is being held in parallel with the conference. This working group serves as an early-warning mechanism within the framework of joint Arab security efforts to combat drugs. Kouman stressed that any serious confrontation with drug trafficking cannot rely solely on security approaches; rather, it requires the combined efforts of various official and civil sectors, socialization institutions, and civil society actors. He emphasized the need for Arab drug control agencies to keep pace with regional and international developments in this field, including production centers, consumption patterns, smuggling methods, and countermeasures, thereby helping to mitigate the repercussions on Arab countries. Over a two-day period, the conference will discuss several key topics, including the establishment of an Arab drug observatory, emerging trends and threats from manufactured drugs, and recent international developments concerning production centers, consumption patterns, smuggling methods, and countermeasures, as well as their impact on the Arab region. The Kuwaiti delegation to the conference is headed by Major General Mohammed Qabazard, Director General of the General Directorate of Drug Control at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior. (End) S.B.M./A.M.S.
