BAGHDAD (Xinhua) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and visiting Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Faraya have agreed to promote bilateral security cooperation, especially in the field of drug control.
During their meeting held in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the two sides discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and security cooperation, facilitate the entry of citizens between the two countries, confront terrorism, and combat drug trafficking, said al-Sudani’s media office’s press release.
Al-Sudani stressed that drugs “pose a significant threat to our youth and undermine the social fabric of our societies”, calling for close coordination between Iraq and Jordan to combat the growing challenge of drug trafficking.
For his part, Faraya expressed his country’s determination to collaborate with Iraq across various security sectors, with a primary focus on combating drug trafficking through joint efforts and cooperation.
On May 9, al-Sudani vowed to fight a “war on drugs” at the opening ceremony of the first Baghdad International Conference on Drug Control, emphasizing that it is no less important than the fight against terrorism.
Illicit drug trafficking in and through Iraq has been increasing since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. In recent years, drugs are mostly sold and distributed in poor areas in Iraq, prompting the Iraqi authorities to adopt rigorous measures to curb the spread of drugs.