THE 4th ASEAN MINISTERAL MEETING

ON DRUG MATTERS (4th AMMD)

28th OCTOBER 29th OCTOBER, 2015

LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA

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The 4TH AMMD

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), Malaysia and the National Anti-drugs Agency (NADA), Malaysia will be hosting the 4th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD) in Langkawi from 28th October to 29th October, 2015, to be chaired by YAB Dato Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, Malaysia.

The Ministerial Meeting involves ASEAN Ministers who are tasked to oversee drug-related issues. ASEAN Senior Officials responsible for Drug Matters and Senior Officials from ASEAN Anti-Drug Agencies will also be attending the Meeting with their respective Ministers.

The 4th AMMD will begin with a preparatory Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) for the 4th AMMD which will be chaired by YBhg. Dato Sri Alwi Hj Ibrahim, Secretary-General of Ministry of Home Affairs, Malaysia. The SOM will report directly to the AMMD based on the progress of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Drug Matters (ASOD) and its five working groups.

The aim of AMMD is to reiterate the commitment of ASEAN member countries in fighting drug-related activities and thus ensure that the region is free from the illicit production, trafficking and the abuse of drugs. This is in line with the vision of a drug-free ASEAN and in ensuring the wellbeing and security of the ASEAN Community.

The AMMD was first held in Bangkok, Thailand on 30th August to 1st September 2012, following the 20th ASEAN Summit held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 2nd 4th April 2012 which accepted ThailandÔÇÖs proposal to organise a special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters.

In 2013, Brunei Darussalam hosted the 2nd AMMD on 2nd  4th September and in 2014, the 3rd AMMD was hosted by Indonesia on 1st 4th December 2014.

The recent ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur on 27th April 2015 saw the official inception of AMMD. With the official inception, AMMD will be held biennially from 2016 onwards and will elevate the work of ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters to greater heights with focused actions taken based on the commitments outlined at the Ministerial level.

Recognising the fact that drug issues are multifaceted and cross-cutting in nature, the Ministers would provide ASOD its policy and strategic direction to reiterate and reinforce the ongoing cooperation and coordinated actions undertaken by ASEAN Member States in dealing with all aspects of the drug problem in the region.

This year, Malaysia will play a crucial role in hosting and chairing the 4th AMMD as ASEAN Ministers will gather to scrutinise on the challenges of illicit trafficking of drugs and the way forward for ASEAN Member States post 2015.

The 4th AMMD is also expected to work on ASEANs Position Statement which will represent a united ASEAN approach with regard to drug-related issues and shall be proposed to be presented as an ASEAN Joint Statement at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session 2016 (UNGASS 2016) on the World Drug Problem.

The 4th AMMD will steer ASEAN Member States to continue to work with one accord in pursuing the common regional aspiration and vision of a Drug Free ASEAN.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA)

Federal Administrative Capital, Putrajaya