Cambodia and UN Open National Stakeholder Meeting on Drug Prevention and Education

Cambodia, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has convened a national stakeholder meeting on drug abuse prevention and education, held from July 20-22, 2026, in Battambang. The meeting, hosted at the Ministry of Interior's conference hall, was attended by Lt. Gen. Meas Virith, Secretary General of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, and Ms. Li li Jiang, UNODC Representative. Representatives from relevant ministries, institutions, and UNODC also participated in the three-day event. Ms. Li li Jiang expressed gratitude for Cambodia's contribution and cooperation in combating drugs, particularly within the Greater Mekong Subregion framework. The inputs from this meeting will be compiled into documents to serve the awareness and preventive education efforts regarding the dangers of drug abuse. Lt. Gen. Meas Virith conveyed remarks from Deputy Prime Minister and President of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, Dr. Sar Kheng, thanking the UNODC working group for their continuous support and facilitation of anti-drug activities in Cambodia. He highlighted that the current global situation, marked by regional conflicts and geopolitical competition, presents high risks and uncertainties, creating opportunities for criminal organizations to expand their illicit drug production and trafficking networks, especially in the Golden Triangle area. He added that global drug offenses are now carried out by organized armed groups with well-established networks, making them difficult to eradicate. Furthermore, Lt. Gen. Meas Virith stated that Cambodia continues to be influenced and threatened by drugs from the Golden Triangle region. According to interdiction data from the first six months of 2026, offenders frequently attempt to smuggle drugs across the land borders with Laos and Thailand, which Cambodian authorities consistently intercept and suppress. The awareness and education campaigns on the dangers of drugs are actively being implemented in schools, communities, and workplaces, focusing on the general public and high-risk target groups. Source: CPP Cambodia