The delegate of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic addressed the plenary session of the HLM this afternoon:

“We have had a 26% increase in opium production in the golden triangle area since 2006. This trend requires careful monitoring to ensure there is no further escalation of opium production. ATS addiction is now a big threat to the country and the costs of crime, corruption, violence, treatment, law enforcement and the loss of productive citizens to the community, the loss of children to their parents and parents to their children – these lossess continue to accumulate. We have utilised many approaches, mass education, public media, we have said no to drug and become advocates to drug prevention in their own community. We need to stop the increase in transit flow to our country as well as to prevent the influence of transnational organised crime. We need to reduce the harm from drug related behaviour that could increase HIV AIDS. To address this pressing issue, the Laos government has just approved a national masterplan, jointly developed with UNODC, and this addresses rise of production. The masterplan responds to the hightened risks this activity poses to country order. ”

“Drug and related problems are global problems. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is not able to address these problems alone. I require the help of the global community and the international cooperation to address the effort. The Lao government welcomes assistance and support to enable us to achieve the goal of creating a drug free prosperous society governed by the rule of law for all Laos people. We have the global food crisis, the climate crisis, and the financial crisis – it is now more important than ever to work against a global drug crisis.”