Ethiopia Showcases Comprehensive Drug Control Strategy at BRICS Anti-Drug Chiefs Meeting

Addis Ababa, July 8, 2026 —Ethiopia has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse by presenting its comprehensive national drug control strategy at the BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies Meeting.

The meeting was held in Guwahati, Assam, India, from July 6–7, 2026, ut was learned.

During the high-level meeting, the Ethiopian delegation outlined the country's integrated approach to tackling both illicit and licit drug-related challenges.

The delegation emphasized that an effective response requires a balanced strategy combining robust law enforcement with public health interventions, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and strong institutional coordination.

It also highlighted Ethiopia's National Drug Control Master Plan, the country's overarching framework for combating drug-related threats, which is guided by the vision of building a drug-free society by 2030.

The strategy promotes coordinated action across government institutions while actively engaging communities, civil society organizations, and international partners to reduce both the supply of and demand for drugs.

 

Ethiopia also showcased ongoing efforts to strengthen regulatory systems, expand treatment and rehabilitation services, enhance public awareness and prevention campaigns, and build institutional capacity through professional training and digital innovation. The delegation stressed that sustained regional and international cooperation remains essential to counter increasingly sophisticated transnational drug trafficking networks.

In this regard, Ethiopia underscored its close collaboration with key international and regional partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the African Union, and other multilateral mechanisms working to combat drug-related crimes and promote public health.

The BRICS meeting brought together heads of anti-drug agencies from member countries and partner states to exchange experiences, assess emerging trends in the global drug landscape, and strengthen cooperation in intelligence sharing, capacity building, technology transfer, and coordinated law enforcement against transnational organized crime.

 

Concluding its participation, Ethiopia reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with BRICS partners and the broader international community to advance evidence-based drug policies.

The East African nation also pledged to strengthen national capacities, and enhance collective efforts to protect public health, reinforce security, and support sustainable development through effective drug control.