Delegates from ASEAN police forces attended the 41st ASEANAPOL Conference held in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday to discuss stronger regional cooperation and partnership.
ASEAN police forces are seeking to enhance their partnership in the promotion of peace, security and stability as well as step up cooperation in tackling transnational crimes such as drug smuggling, terrorism, human trafficking, and weapons trade, Lao Security News reported on Wednesday.
Speaking at the conference, Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security, Vilay Lakhamfong, said “The 41st ASEANAPOL Conference takes place in an environment with both facilities and many challenges.”
“Therefore, this conference is very important for increasing cooperation both at the regional and global levels in responding to various crimes in order to ensure the region and communities around the world enjoy peace, tranquility and stability,” he said.
Continued efforts were urged from ASEAN police forces to uphold unity, adhere to cooperation in preventing, suppressing and fighting transnational crime, especially those involving drug trafficking, raw chemicals used by criminal groups as ingredients for drug production, and human trafficking.
To enhance cooperation, the conference also called for strengthening the role of the ASEANAPOL secretariat, and upgrading the capacity of police forces in combating transnational crime through information sharing and increasing exchanges.
