Foreign Ministry holds conference on countering drug abuse today

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is hosting a two-day high-level meeting from today (Monday) which aims to promote exchange of experiences and good practices among regional countries on how to effectively counter the common challenge of drug abuse in schools, colleges and universities.

The theme of the meeting is “Preventing Drug Abuse in Educational Settings: Fostering Regional Cooperation and Partnership”.

“This meeting is being convened pursuant to a resolution on this theme presented by Pakistan in March 2018 at the Vienna-based UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), later endorsed by the UN General Assembly. The meeting would be followed by one-day training session on the same theme,” says the Foreign Office.

Senior officials from regional countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will participate. Representatives of Islamabad-based diplomatic missions will also attend the opening session on February 11.

The training session is designed to strengthen the capacities of relevant national stakeholders, including law enforcement, education and health authorities to respond, based on a concerted approach, to drug abuse in educational settings.

The two events are being organised through a joint initiative of the Foreign Office, Ministry of Narcotics Control, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Ministry of Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Higher Education Commission and Anti-Narcotics

Force. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in particular the Office’s Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries, and the EU have partnered in this endeavour. “Holding of these events underscores the importance and commitment Pakistan attaches to fostering regional cooperation and partnerships on issues of common interest,” adds the Foreign Office.