• Wednesday, September 27,2023

Saif bin Zayed chairs Narcotics Control Council meeting

Lt. General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, chaired the inaugural meeting of the country's Narcotics Control Council, following the esteemed Cabinet's decision to establish the council under His Highness's leadership. In the presence of Sheikh Saif, alongside government agency representatives and concerned partners, the Council endorsed the overarching framework for the national drug control strategy.

Additionally, it formulated and approved the action plan for the national committees, while also crafting strategic performance indicators to assess the Council’s accomplishments. Among the distinguished attendees were His Excellency Major General Salem Saeed bin Ghafan Al Jabri, Commander of the National Guard, His Excellency Nasser Ismail, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Development for Social Welfare Affairs, His Excellency Mohamed Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, and Her Excellency Sheikha Kholoud Saqr Al Qasimi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Oversight Sector at the Ministry of Education.

Also present were His Excellency Engineer Mohammed Hamza Hassan Al Qasim, Director General of the Emirates School Education Foundation, His Excellency Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej, Director General of Customs at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, His Excellency Brigadier Saeed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director General of Federal Narcotics Control and Secretary General of the Council, as well as His Excellency Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary General of the Emirates Media Council, and His Excellency Dr. Nasser Al Khatri for the Cybersecurity Council. Completing the assembly were His Excellency Ahmed Saeed Al Qamzi, Assistant Governor of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates for the Banking and Insurance Supervision Sector, His Excellency Matar Humaid Al Neyadi for the Supreme National Security Council, His Excellency Noha Mohammed Al Harmoudi, Director of the National Fund for Social Responsibility, and His Excellency Counselor Sultan Ibrahim Al-Juwai'd from the Attorney General's Office, His Excellency Judge Ahmed Saeed Al-Naqbi, President of the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal, Major Humaid Abdul Rahman Al-Shehhi from the General Directorate for Federal Drug Control, and Amal Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi from the General Directorate for Federal Drug Control.

Last June, the Cabinet issued a directive to form a drug control council under the distinguished leadership of Lt. General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. This council comprises 16 members from various ministries and agencies collaborating in the fight against drugs and encompasses 9 national committees. Its scope encompasses all aspects of drug control, from reducing demand to limiting supply opportunities.

The Council's core responsibilities encompass the development of a comprehensive national strategy against drugs, encompassing prevention, awareness-raising, early detection, medical and psychological rehabilitation, community and vocational reintegration for recovering individuals, and fostering collaboration among federal and local bodies to combat illicit drug trafficking and money laundering.

Additionally, the Council oversees the implementation of plans to counter drug smuggling through official state entry points and borders, explores and initiates strategic ventures, and enhances international cooperation with global organizations dedicated to countering narcotics.

The Council includes the leaders of several national committees focused on drug control, such as the National Committee for Family Prevention, the National Committee for Addiction Recovery, the National Media Committee, the National Committee for Combating Drug Trafficking, the National Committee for Smart Control, the National Committee for Promoting Criminal Justice, the National Committee for Combating Drugs in Schools, and the National Committee for Employment Integration.