Israel joins a growing list of countries concerned about Syrian regime drug production and traffic. A statement of Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Friday called for a regional coalition to stop the expansion of drug production and trafficking in Syria, at an international conference on drug trafficking.
This is important because it joins the United States, Jordan and other countries highlighting the harm caused by opioids, such as captagon, in the region. It also marks an important milestone for the United States, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushed this recent ministerial meeting to launch a global coalition to combat threats from synthetic drugs.
It is also a unique opportunity for regional integration of policies related to the fight against drug trafficking. This scourge harms all countries in the region and can destabilize countries. Iran, for example, is linked to militant groups and militias that destabilize Syria and Iraq.
An opportunity to collaborate towards a common goal
The United States supports the Abraham Accords and issues affecting the region. To this end, the fight against drugs can be a way for Israel to work with other countries. Jordan, for example, is keen to put an end to drug trafficking. Amman sent its foreign minister to Damascus to discuss the issue last week and the ministry issued a statement over the weekend.
The meeting highlighting drug trafficking as part of this new global coalition brought together countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and others. They are all key and responsible countries when it comes to promoting stability and common interests in the region.
What are some of the issues involved?
The formation of the coalition is an important step in confronting the growing threat of industrial drug production, Jordan says. “The new international coalition will allow us to work together to combat the production, trafficking and distribution of industrial drugs…The global danger of industrial drugs and the vast resources available to their manufacturers and smugglers require a joint international effort to confront this danger. “said the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.
In announcing the initiative in June, the United States said that “synthetic drugs pose a serious and growing risk to the health and safety of Americans and people around the world. Illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are implicated in more deaths of U.S. adults under the age of 50 than any other cause.
أكد نائب رئيس الوزراء ووزير الخارجين @AymanHsafadi، اليوم في مداخلة له في الاجتماع الوزاري للتحالف الدولي لمواجهة ته ديد المخدرات الصناعية: – تشكيل التحالف خطوة مهمة للتصدي لتهديد المخد رات الصناعية المتصاعد، ومواجهة الانتشار الخطير لها. – التحالف الدولي الجديد… pic.twitter.com/54SkcKm8oG
– وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) July 7, 2023
Other countries face the challenges of dangerous synthetic drugs, including tramadol, methamphetamine, captagon, MDMA and ketamine. Recognizing the urgent need for collective action, the United States is mobilizing the international community to meet this urgent challenge head on. » Blinken said that “on July 7, 2023, I will convene and host a virtual ministerial meeting, bringing together dozens of countries and international organizations, to launch a global coalition to combat threats from synthetic drugs.
“This coalition aims to unite countries around the world in a concerted effort to prevent the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of synthetic drugs, identify emerging drug trends, and effectively respond to their public health impacts. »
Recent meeting is an important step
Israel’s participation is also very important. Cohen, who recently returned from Greece, has added an important voice to countries concerned about drug trafficking in the region. This will be an additional building block in how Israel plays an important role in regional integration and also in the messages that resonate with other Abraham Accords countries and peace partners.
This means that Israel joins Jordan, Egypt, the Gulf States and Morocco on these concerns. This is the new diplomatic format in which the United States continues to demonstrate regional leadership, but regional countries take the lead – one of many models for the region’s future. It is similar to model trade and multilateral agreements and groups like the Negev Forum, I2U2, Greece-Cyprus and Israel; as well as energy agreements in the Eastern Mediterranean and discussions on regional air defense initiatives.
