The 7th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD) officially opened and convened the plenary session via videoconference on October 14 under the chair of Cambodia.

Minister of Public Security General To Lam (centre) leads the Vietnamese
delegation to the virtual meeting on October 14 (Photo: VNA)

The 7th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD) officially opened and convened the plenary session via videoconference on October 14 under the chair of Cambodia.

The Vietnamese delegation to the event was led by Minister of Public Security General To Lam.

Participants got updates about the development in ASEAN and listened to speeches on drug-related issues by heads of delegations. They looked into reports on the outcomes of the 41st and 42nd ASEAN senior officials’ meetings on drug matters, along with a mid-term review report on the ASEAN Work Plan on Securing Communities Against Illicit Drugs 2016 - 2025 and the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle.

A chairman’s statement was adopted at the end of the event.

Addressing the plenary session, Minister To Lam affirmed that Vietnam echoed ASEAN’s common stance about the uncompromising attitude towards drugs and the long-term goal of a drug-free ASEAN Community.

He emphasised that as a member nation, Vietnam has made active contributions to common activities of the bloc. It has been stepping up comprehensive and balanced solutions, and combining the implementation of the ASEAN Work Plan on Securing Communities Against Illicit Drugs 2016 - 2025 and the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle 2020 - 2022 with its national programme on drug prevention and control.

Vietnam supports the mentioned issues and believes that the outcomes of the 7th AMMD would demonstrate a high-level political commitment of ASEAN on the drug combat in the 2016 - 2025 period, according to the official.

Vietnam took part in the AMMDs held by Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. It hosted the 6th meeting in Hanoi in 2018./