Iranian and Kuwaiti Interior Ministers arrive in Baghdad for Anti-Drug Conference

Shafaq News/ On Monday, the Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi and Kuwaiti Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah arrived in Baghdad.

A security source told Shafaq News Agency that the ministers will participate in the second Baghdad International Regional Conference on Combating Drugs.

Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Al-Mawlawi also arrived.

The conference will also see the participation of interior ministers from neighboring and non-neighboring countries, according to Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Muqdad Miri.

In 2023, Iraq hosted the first conference to enhance collaboration and synchronize efforts in drug detection and disruption.

According to the final statement, participants at the first conference highlighted that "drug trafficking and smuggling lead to increased crime rates and the formation of organized criminal groups, which contribute to violence, threaten public stability, and undermine peace, internal security, and the rule of law." There was consensus on the urgent need for a collaborative approach involving security services, civil society organizations, and relevant official agencies to combat this serious issue.

The statement emphasized the necessity for joint cooperation and strategic planning between regional and global counter-narcotics agencies to prosecute those involved in illicit drug trafficking and to dismantle smuggling routes passing through their countries.

Key recommendations from the meeting include:

- Holding regular meetings for heads of drug control agencies to review the effectiveness of implemented measures, address workflow challenges, and learn from experiences to enhance anti-drug strategies.

- Implement targeted media campaigns using satellite channels to raise awareness and conduct training courses for media professionals to activate and unify the media's role in drug control and demand reduction.