Interior Minister: Iraq Has Succeeded In Building An Advanced Security System To Combat The Scourge Of Drugs
Baghdad / NINA/- Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari affirmed on Sunday that Iraq has made significant progress in building an advanced security system to combat narcotics, noting that the drug threat has evolved into a cross-border challenge.
Speaking at the opening of the Third Baghdad International Conference on Drug Control, held in the capital Baghdad, Al-Shammari stated that “the drug epidemic has become a complex and rapidly growing threat that transcends geographical borders and requires comprehensive international cooperation that goes beyond the capacities of any single state or institution.”
He added that the third edition of the conference reflects “Iraq’s commitment to strengthening regional and international security partnerships and providing professional platforms that bring together experts and specialized agencies to exchange experiences, confront challenges, and formulate effective strategies based on accurate information.”
Al-Shammari pointed out that the first and second conferences marked a turning point in joint security efforts, yielding several outcomes, including:
• Enhancing security integration with partner and friendly countries through expanded channels of intelligence information exchange.
• Establishing unified security concepts and methodologies for analysis, monitoring, and strategic planning.
• Launching research and training initiatives supported by several countries to strengthen the capabilities of interior ministry personnel.
• Achieving concrete field results, including the dismantling of major drug-trafficking networks and the development of border and port monitoring systems.
• Building trust among security agencies, which has accelerated cooperation procedures and reduced bureaucratic barriers.
He emphasized that these conferences have laid the foundation for a new model of security cooperation based on transparency, shared responsibility, and a unified vision for protecting the interests of the region’s peoples. Drug control, he stressed, is not a temporary task but “an ongoing battle requiring continuous monitoring and annual assessment.”
Al-Shammari noted that holding the Baghdad conference annually has become essential for strengthening security cooperation and keeping pace with evolving trafficking methods that increasingly rely on advanced techniques and modern communication tools.
He added that regional experiences have proven the importance of precise intelligence exchange, coordinated border-control operations, unified analytical tools, legislative development, and professional training — all of which have contributed to “successful joint operations and the dismantling of dangerous networks that had exploited security gaps across the region.”
Al-Shammari concluded that Iraq, despite the surrounding regional and geographical challenges, has succeeded in recent years in developing its security framework to combat drug trafficking, supported directly by Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, affirming that Iraq will continue to advance international cooperation and strengthen security and stability./ End
