8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters takes place

The 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD) was held in Vientiane, Laos, on 10 and 11 August, and six members of the delegation led by State Administration Council Member Union Minister for Home Affairs Chairman of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control Lt-Gen Yar Pyae participated in the meeting. The delegation left Vientiane Airport in Laos for Yangon at the local standard time of 1:30 pm on 12 August 2023, and arrived back in Yangon in the evening.
Senior military officers and officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs welcomed back the Myanmar delegation at Yangon International Airport.
Representatives from ASEAN member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat attended the meeting, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security of Lao PDR Pol Gen Vilay Lakhamfong launched the meeting with his greetings.
Next, the representative leaders of ASEAN member countries gave an opening speeches, and the head of the Myanmar delegation Union Minister Lt-Gen Yar Pyae pointed out that man-made drug (Synthetic Drug) transactions in most countries in the world are the main threat, supporting related crimes such as money laundering, arms smuggling, and violence. Thus, it continues to be a threat to regional stability and peace, he added.
Myanmar defies drug eradication combat activities as a national duty and has been performing special anti-narcotics operations in cooperation with the Myanmar Police Force and the Department of Customs, arresting and taking action on drug transactions, and confiscating loads of chemicals used in making drugs.
In addition, Myanmar is also working closely with international organizations, regional countries, and neighbouring countries, including the United Nations, to carry out anti-narcotics activities. The cooperation of all countries is very important in solving drug problems, and it is necessary to exchange information and increase cooperation without political entanglements between ASEAN member countries, he continued.
After that, he expressed his expectation from the meeting that great experiences and plans for future cooperation among ASEAN member countries would be able to be discussed in a friendly manner. The meeting discussed the ASEAN Joint Declaration to be announced at the 67th United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) meeting, ASEAN’s recent drug situation, the 44th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Drugs and Related Meetings’ report and follow-up matters, and issues related to the review of the ASEAN Work Plan on Securing Communities against Illicit Drugs 2016–2025 and future cooperation in drug control activities.
The Myanmar delegation met a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security of Lao PDR Pol Gen Vilay Lakhamfong, and openly exchanged their views on promotion of cooperation and holding meetings between the two countries and the ministries of Home Affairs, border region control of the two countries, enhancing cooperation in eradicating illicit drugs, human trafficking, arms smuggling, and online fraud crime, re-opening the Myanmar-Laos border liaison offices and friendship bridges as soon as possible, and carrying out matters that will benefit both countries.
In the evening, they attended a dinner hosted by Pol Gen Vilay Lakhamfong. — MNA/CT