National drug control agencies from ASEAN Member States met at the 41st Meeting of the Heads of Narcotic Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA) for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok.
News / View / ASEAN Information
Thursday 30th of November 2017
National drug control agencies from ASEAN Member States met at the 41st Meeting of the Heads of Narcotic Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA) for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok.
During 27-30 November 2017, the Meeting of the Heads of Narcotic Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA) for Asia and the Pacific was held by UNODC in Bangkok at the ESCAP building to discuss issues of illicit drug supply, production, drug abuse and assess the drug situation in the region. The meeting was attended by countries in Asia and the Pacific as well as observers from countries outside the region including partners from international organizations. Senior officials from national drug control agencies of ASEAN Member States attended the meeting, namely Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
The HONLEA meeting is the subsidiary body of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) which was established by ECOSOC resolution 1845 will meet annually and report to the CND. Membership is open to any State or territory that is a member or associate member of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Other UN Member States may be invited as observers at their request. Mr. Jeremy Doughlas, UNODC Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific delivered the opening statement. The meeting was chaired by Mr.Damien Appleby (Australia) and elected two Vice Chairs from Iran, Mr. Mohammad Masoud Zabetian and Pakistan, Mr. Hammad Ahmed Dogar. Mr. Lee Pin How from Singapore was elected as a Rapporteur.
The meeting discussed the drug situation in the region, the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the 39th HONLEA meeting, the follow-up to the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem and to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem held in 2016 (UNGASS 2016) and the implementation of CND decision 60/1 on strengthening the subsidiary bodies of the Commission. During the meeting, 4 working groups were established to review issues of regional importance in the area of drug control and exchange views on the following issues:
a. Role of the internet in addressing drug trafficking and abuse;
b. Measures to counter illicit manufacturing and diversion of and trafficking in precursors;
c. Effective measures for coordinating border management strategies;
d. Practical measures tailored to the specific needs of children and youth to prevent and treat drug abuse among them and to address their involvement in drug-related crime, including cultivation and trafficking.
The working groups had made observations, conclusions and recommendations related those issues which will be followed up their implementation in the next two years.
Details and documents of the meeting are available on UNODC website.
