38th Arab Drug Control Conference Concludes with Key Recommendations

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Tunis – The 38th Arab Conference of Heads of Drug Control Agencies and the 2nd Meeting Between Anti-Drug Agencies and Health Ministries of Arab Nations concluded on Friday at the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers headquarters in Tunis.

The event, held in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), brought together representatives from Arab ministries of interior, the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), INTERPOL, the EU Action Against Drugs and Organised Crime (EU-ACT), and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS).

Key Recommendations

The conference concluded with several strategic recommendations aimed at enhancing Arab security cooperation and addressing the challenges of drugs and psychotropic substances:

Capacity Building: Participants emphasized the importance of enhancing the capacity of the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council and member states to combat synthetic drugs and global drug challenges.

International Collaboration: Recommendations included bolstering cooperation with INTERPOL and the European Union’s project on drugs and organized crime to align efforts and achieve mutual goals.

Funding Initiatives: The General Secretariat and NAUSS were tasked to work with UNODC on securing funding for anti-drug projects and programs.

Unified National Strategies: Member states were encouraged to develop national plans to anticipate drug smuggling trends, routes, and patterns of use while fostering a unified stance in international forums.

Training and Research: The conference highlighted the value of utilizing the Regional Expertise Center for Combating Drugs and Crime (REC-CDC), established by NAUSS in partnership with UNODC, to enhance training, research, and knowledge sharing across the Arab region.

Commendations

Participants applauded ongoing efforts to strengthen the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council and recognized the significance of leveraging Arab expertise to address global drug problems, particularly synthetic substances.

The conference underscored the need for proactive and collaborative measures to tackle the evolving challenges of drug smuggling and organized crime, reaffirming the region's commitment to safeguarding communities and promoting regional security.