Iraqi Prime Minister Addresses the Complex War on Drugs at International Conference in Baghdad
Shafaq News/ The Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, described the ongoing battle against narcotics and illicit substances waged by Iraqi authorities as "complex," while emphasizing a resolute stance against the scourge that endangers societies and nations.
Addressing the First International Baghdad Conference on Drug Control, Al-Sudani said that drugs threaten communities, posing risks to the very foundations of nation-states.
"We confront a complicated war in which the enemy infiltrates to prey on our children, devastate our families, and dismantle our social fabric," he said.
Al-Sudani regarded the struggle against drugs as "no less ferocious and perilous than our triumphant war against terrorism," lauding society's embrace of intrinsic values and its rejection of these destructive substances.
The prime minister assured that Iraq is adamant about combating drugs, both on legal and social levels, stressing that it deems "drug trafficking, transportation, and those involved in them security and terrorist threats."
Al-Sudani said the government has established rehabilitation centers to treat addiction victims, providing medical, psychological, and social support.
"Iraq enacted the Drug and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 50 of 2017, marking a qualitative shift in defining goals, mechanisms, and penalties," he continued.
The Prime Minister noted the formation of the Supreme National Authority for Drug and Psychotropic Substance Affairs and the Directorate of Drug Affairs within the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Ministries of Labor and Health.
Baghdad, he said, is hosting Arab nations to unify efforts against the drug pandemic and examine available statistics and information.
Al-Sudani attached importance to the role of media, social awareness, and the contributions of religious, cultural, and educational institutions in raising awareness about the dangers of drugs, pledging "to spare no effort in combating drugs, whether through legislation, field operations, or preparing trained and professional personnel."
The premier said that "terrorism derives a portion of its funding from drugs, and drug circulation thrives in the shadow of terrorism," calling for international and regional cooperation through information exchange and coordination to expose drug networks.
The First International Baghdad Conference on Drug Control, attended by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, and Turkey, in addition to the host country Iraq, will continue its activities on May 9th and 10th, with representatives from the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior, the Arab Office for Drug and Crime Affairs, Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
