Mr. President,

I thank the Burkina Faso presidency for taking the initiative of organizing this open debate of the Security Council and I thank you for personally presiding over the debate. I thank the Secretary-General and the Executive Director of UNODC for their participations and statements.

Ten years have passed since the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Global Drug Control in 1998 and the international community has recorded encouraging achievements in this area. With greater importance attached to the prevention and control of drug trafficking, 95% of UN Member States have acceded to the three international conventions on drug control, the highest percentage of accession to a UN legal document. The production of drug and the number of drug users in the world have shown a downward tendency as reported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). We recognize the efforts made by UN specialized agencies, especially UNODC, in coordinating international drug control activities.

However, the situation of drug crime in the world continues to see complicated developments. As the profits from drug trafficking reaches around US$ 500 billion a year, second only to that from arms smuggling, drug criminals have exerted all means to maintain drug trafficking at all costs. In addition to sophisticated means and advanced technology, they have taken advantage of globalization to expand drug production and consumption, increased contacts with criminals in other dangerous fields such as money laundering and arms smuggling, and established trans-national criminal organizations. The super-profit from drug trafficking is used to finance terrorist groups and acts of violence, causing unstable or even anarchic situations, and aggravating crises where they occur, and thus producing long-term negative impacts on security, public order and economic development.

The prevention and suppression of such dangerous crimes require joint efforts of the international community. In the fight against drug trafficking, production and transport, we support enhanced international and regional cooperation, with the UN entities, particularly UNODC playing the leading role. While primary responsibility rests with the States concerned, the United Nations bodies, including the Security Council, other international and regional organizations have an important role to play in supporting and coordinating those efforts with a view to ensuring their effectiveness and avoiding duplication and waste of resources.

Mr. President,

Fully aware of the challenges posed by drug trafficking, Viet Nam gives high priority to drug prevention and control.

Viet Nam adopted the Law on Drug Prevention and Control in 2000 and amended the law in 2008. Our Government established the National Committee on Drug Prevention and Control, endorsed the Master Plan and National Target Programme on Drug Prevention and Control until 2010.

Viet Nam has ratified the three UN conventions on drug control.  In the context of the continuing spread of this drug menace and the increasing consensus of the international community on the need to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking, we hope that these important Conventions will soon achieve universality. Viet Nam has also expanded cooperation with regional countries, especially those in the Mekong sub-region, and worked closely with UNODC. Until now, Viet Nam has signed 8 bilateral agreements on drug control with Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, China, Russian Federation, Thailand, Myanmar, Hungary and the United States. We hold that bilateral and multilateral cooperation play a critical role in the fight against drug trafficking.

Mr. President,

As a constructive and responsible member of the Security Council, Viet Nam has actively participated in the work of the Council, thus contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security as well as the performance of the Council’s mandate in accordance with the UN Charter. During its two Presidencies, Viet Nam worked intensively to promote consensus among Member States in resolving important issues, organizing an open debate on “Children and armed conflict” and another on “Women, peace and security” with  the adoption of Resolution 1889 (2009).

Let me avail myself of this opportunity to express my appreciation to the Secretary-General, the Secretariat and Member States, particularly Council members, for their support for and cooperation with Viet Nam, helping us fulfill our duty entrusted by the UN membership.

I thank you, Mr. President!