Speaking at the official opening of the 30th Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLAF) meeting in Nairobi on Tuesday, Prof. Kindiki called on the African region to join hands and speak in one voice in the war against drug trafficking.
“I wish to reaffirm Kenya’s commitment to the three international conventions on drug abuse and all related protocols and resolutions on countering the world drug problem and hope that the African Group will speak in one voice in the war against drug trafficking and on policies and strategies to the problem,” said Kindiki.
“I believe the 30th HONLAF meeting in Nairobi will be a step in this direction,” added the Interior CS as he commended the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) for organizing the forum.
Prof. Kindiki underscored Kenya’s call on developed countries to urged developed countries to support developing countries in the area of technology capacity building, policy development and relevant equipment to support and enhance their unified response to specific drug problems.
As a Region, we should continue to engage the developed countries and the international community to support developing countries in the area of technology capacity building, policy development and relevant equipment to support and enhance their unified response to our specific drug problems.
“The magnitude of the world drug problem is complex and dynamic especially to developing countries as it requires heavy investment in technology, human capital other and infrastructural facilities that support effective investigations, prosecution and other criminal justice processes. As a Region, we need to review our capacity and preparedness to effectively respond to the challenge of drug trafficking and its negative implications on health,” said Kindiki.
The last HONLAF meeting which was the 29th edition was held in 2019 in Mauritius where Kenya offered to host the 30th edition in September 2019 but due to the Covid-19 pandemic which struck the World in March 2019, the in person meetings were suspended.
Illicit drug trafficking and abuse remain a major challenge to the socio-economic development of States across the globe.
Global trends indicate an upward trend in the abuse of drugs and a shift from traditional substances to amphetamine-type stimulants, new psychoactive substances, synthetic drugs including non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs.
By Fred Azelwa.