Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Thursday, June 25th 2015 [ME NewsWire]
The UAE joins the nations of the world in observance of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a day that is marked each year on 26 June.
Under the slogan ‘Drug Abuse is a Scourge that Ruins Lives’, the event organized by the General Directorate of Anti-Narcotics Federal at the Ministry of Interior was held at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi with Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, Acting Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization, Residency and Ports Affairs in attendance.
Additional attendees included: Major General Omair Muhammad Al Muhairi, Director General of Police Operations at Abu Dhabi Police; Brigadier Mansour bin Ali Al Dhaheri, General Coordinator for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs; heads of the regional anti-narcotic units in the UAE; and a large number of officers at the Ministry of Interior.
Maj. Gen Al Khaili stressing the keenness of the UAE to participate with the nations of the world in fighting the scourge of drugs, said: “Drugs are a threat to our societies. The current situation of the drug problem on local, regional, and international levels requires us to strengthen our controlled efforts; and our cooperation with concerned authorities on every level. Our efforts must be to cordon off and paralyze the movement the drug traffickers, and to reduce the supply and demand.”
He pointed out that the Ministry of Interior attaches great importance to the fight against drugs. “Under the directives of the higher police leadership, the anti-drug agencies have been enabled to fulfill their duties through the provision of all the necessary human, technical, and material resources.” He continued by pointing out that the plans and outreach programs implemented by the Ministry have been catered to every segment of society in a bid to promote awareness regarding the dangers that drugs pose to communities.
In a speech on the occasion, Colonel Saeed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director General, Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior said: “Despite international efforts in the fight against drugs, the United Nations has confirmed that the achieved results are still limited.” Explaining further, he pointed out that international drug production is on the rise alongside an increasing number of addicts in various countries throughout the world, which is perhaps due to the new psychotropic drugs that are invading the markets.
“The UAE renews its determination in marching forward in the fight against this scourge. We will spare no efforts to support the international prevention efforts,” he said. Noting the importance of following a comprehensive, integrated and balanced method of cooperation between all the governmental and civil institutions in the UAE, Colonel Al Suwaidi said it is the only option to successfully address the drug problem.
He added that the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General, and its departments and sections at the police general headquarters, hails all efforts made in the fight against drugs and will support further tasks and duties.
He expressed his gratitude to the community figures and to the partners of the local and federal bodies for their significant roles in fighting the scourge of drugs. He also thanked the officers, non-commissioned officers, constables and the various segments of society for their sacrifices in the fight against drugs.
Dr. Hatem Aly, representative of UNODC and head of the sub-regional office for the GCC, expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Interior for organizing the ceremony. Dr. Aly pointed out that the participation of the Office in the celebration embodies its strategic objectives to assist GCC member states in dealing with the drug problem through the application of the best international practices, and through strengthening cooperation in the fight against drugs.
Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili inaugurated an exhibition held on the sidelines of the event, which featured photos for the various types of drugs alongside statistics that illustrate the magnitude of the problem on local, regional, and international levels.
Towards the end of the ceremony, Major General Al Khaili, accompanied by Colonel Al Suwaidi, honored the partners from federal and local agencies and institutions.
Outreach Exhibitions at 3 Malls
The Abu Dhabi Police organized outreach exhibitions in three malls across Abu Dhabi to raise awareness regarding the dangers and risks of drugs. The initiative aims to protect the largest segment of society against the dangers of drugs and psychotropic substances, and introduce them to the concepts of the police and of their important role in society.
The exhibitions were held in the Dalma Mall in Musaffah, the Bawadi Mall in Al Ain, and the Ruwais Mall in the Western Region. They featured free drawing workshops for children, film screenings about the dangers of drugs, and photographs depicting the efforts of Abu Dhabi Police made in drug raids and in combating the scourge of drugs.
In his address during the inauguration of the outreach exhibition at Dalma Mall on Wednesday, Colonel Dr. Rashid Mohammad Borshid, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), stressed the unwavering commitment of the Abu Dhabi Police to provide quality services to the public. “These exhibitions aim to raise public awareness and are conducted in cooperation with partners in order to achieve a secure society – one that is free from the toxins of narcotics. We hope to protect the members of the community from the impacts of abuse and trafficking from this dangerous scourge,” he said.
Furthermore, he pointed out that the Abu Dhabi Police is one party within an integrated system of several governmental institutions that are involved in the fight against drugs, and the process of rehabilitation, treatment, and awareness. He also reiterated that the exhibitions contribute to strengthening the preventive measures made to keep people from falling prey to the clutches drugs.
For his part, Colonel Sultan Suwayeh Al Darmaki, Chief of the Anti-Drug Section at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), stressed that the watchful eyes of the Abu Dhabi Police safeguard the security of the homeland. He said that the role of the police is to protect members of society, especially families, from falling prey to the clutches of toxic substances and drugs; and to prosecute whoever undermines the safety and security of the community. He also indicated that the role of the Anti-Drug Section is to reduce the risks of toxic narcotics.
Colonel Al Darmaki called upon the public, especially students, to express their interaction and to contribute in the spread of awareness of the dangers of drugs amongst their peers. Moreover, he highlighted the importance of alerting families to help their children choose the right company, to fill their leisure time in a pleasant and helpful manner, and to develop their personalities in a way that combats drugs and utilizes preventive policing methods.
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The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.
Contacts
The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department
Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media
Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317
E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com
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