President appeals to BIMSTEC leaders to take collective steps against drug menace

President Maithripala Sirisena called on the leaders of states in the Bay of Bengal region to take collective steps against the drug menace with narcotics smugglers using ocean routes for drug smuggling. 

Addressing the 4th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), he drew the attention of the leaders present to the drug menace which is a great obstacle to global progress. 

“It is the menace of drugs and narcotics, heroine, hashish, marijuana and other drugs that are smuggled into the country mainly by sea. This has largely affected our youth and schoolchildren. Illicit drugs have become the most serious challenge and we require more advanced technology and training for our coastguard to fight drug smuggling at sea,” he said. 

“I urge the BIMSTEC Association, the world community and all states to commit themselves to fight illegal drugs trafficking collectively and individually through a robust international program that is more organised and stronger than now,” President Sirisena said.

The President said that some powerful corporate groups sometimes even succeeded in toppling governments and the leaders should be vigilant about them.

He pointed out that climate change and natural disasters adversely affect the economies of countries in the Bay of Bengal region, emphasising that the Bay of Bengal community had to find remedies to these challenges and work for poverty alleviation under the BIMSTEC Poverty Plan of Action.  Pointing out that the people in the Bay of Bengal region shared a common history and cultural heritage which was the backbone of multilateral understanding and respect, he said it was their responsibility to further strengthen cooperation among the membership through regional integration, creating a prosperous Bay of Bengal region.

The BIMSTEC regional bloc is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, said President Sirisena, adding that Sri Lanka as an island nation wished to make maximum use of the ocean with new light shed on ocean research, tourism, fisheries and marine resources. 

Briefing the leaders on Sri Lanka’s achievements, he said that during the last three and a half years democracy, human rights, rule of law and media freedom had been strengthened and the independence of the judiciary had been established while actions were taken to punish those who were guilty of corruption, bribery and malpractices irrespective of their status or political affiliation.

President Sirisena said that BIMSTEC had vast experience and strength acquired over the past 20 years, and that could be fully utilised for meeting the challenges faced by the Bay of Bengal community. He called on his fellow leaders to give their fullest support and continued cooperation to achieve the set targets and goals of BIMSTEC for the benefit of all the region’s people.