Recently, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son was speaking at a virtual ministerial meeting to launch the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drugs hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Addressing representatives from 70 countries and international organizations, Minister Son shared concerns about the threat posed by synthetic drugs, and emphasized the need to strengthen international cooperation with holistic measures and comprehensive approach to deal with issues related to supply and demand of drugs.
He called for joint international efforts to support the implementation of UN conventions on drug prevention and control, and help strengthen the role of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND).
The minister suggested that developing countries need increased international support in sharing information and improving capacity, resources, and technology.
To solve the problem in a sustainable way, it is necessary to strengthen measures to eliminate hunger, reduce poverty, improve education and create jobs, especially for young people, he stressed. The minister also shared the efforts Vietnam and ASEAN have made to strive for a drug-free environment.
In his remarks, Secretary Blinken affirmed that the Biden administration gives high priority to combating drugs, by adopting number of powerful measures, including the newly enacted National Drug Control Strategy 2020.
However, Blinken admitted that drugs are always a serious challenge to global security and health that no country can solve on its own. To this end, he said the US has proposed forming a global coalition to address synthetic drugs with priorities and measures to be discussed and shared by members.
Blinken also highlighted the role of businesses, hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, local communities and social organizations in drug prevention and control.
Participating delegates affirmed that they would coordinate actions on drug prevention and control at the national, regional and international levels, taking into account the reasonable balance between supply and demand reduction strategies and training programmes, technical support and information sharing.
They also highly appreciated the role and ability to provide technical assistance and expert experience of existing international drug control mechanisms such as the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).
