Under the supervision of the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Barzani Charity Foundation, in a conference held on Thursday 29\5\2024 at the Divan Hotel in Erbil under the slogan “Together towards a strong and healthy society”, launched an anti-drug campaign.
In the beginning, a video was screened on the effects and dangers of drugs and how to cope with them. Then, Musa Ahmad, President of Barzani Charity Foundation, welcomed the audiences and called the anti-drug campaign, which is being conducted under the supervision of the Prime Minister, a “historic day in the humanitarian struggle of Barzani Charity Foundation”. He also said: “With the support of the relevant ministries, departments and centers in the Kurdistan Regional Government and professional organizations, citizens and investors in Kurdistan and abroad, we will create a beautiful example and a solid foundation to fight drugs.” He added that on November 26, 2024, His Excellency Prime Minister Masrour Barzani laid the foundation stone of the first building of the rehabilitation center for drug addicts in Erbil, which will be built by the Barzani Charity Foundation and the American (LDS) Charities.
Then Rebar Ahmad, Minister of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government, on behalf of the Prime Minister, delivered a speech and stressed that “Barzani Charity Foundation has taken initiatives in many areas and this is one of the most important and sensitive areas. Then he added: “Drugs are one of the most terrible problems facing human society. It has historical roots and threatens the national security of all countries. Drugs in the Kurdistan Region are a serious challenge and their impact is no less than terrorism, our fights today in addition to terrorism is against drug abuse as well.”
He also said: “According to the UNODC, about 275 million people have used drugs in various parts of the world by 2022. The World Health Organization says that about 500,000 people die annually due to drug use and tens of thousands of others suffer from mental and physical illnesses The Kurdistan Region has worked seriously to eliminate and dry up its drug sources within the framework of a strategic plan and a comprehensive program. Special ministries and the Security Council have done good coordination to address this threat, but more work is still needed. In this regard, there is good coordination and joint operations between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government. This is despite the fact that we also have contacts, coordination and joint operations with the international community.”
After the speeches of the Minister of Interior, the supervisor of the National Campaign to Combat Drugs (Dr. Rawsht Rashid) in a workshop in a scientific and academic manner discussed the dangerous data and statistics of drug addiction and he considered it the duty of all governmental and non-governmental organizations, religious figures and journalists to confront this dangerous phenomenon. He also stressed that at the end of the first year of the campaign, which may be extended, a special conference will be held at a trusted university.
The panels were conducted by Karzan Nuri, member of the Executive Board of Barzani Charity Foundation, Alan Hama Saeed, Minister of Education, Saman Barzanji, Minister of Health of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Dr. Bashir Khalil Haddad, Chairman of the Board of Speakers; Jutiar Adel, Head of Media and Information Office; Dindar Zebari, coordinator of the international recommendations, each from their own perspective highlighted the details and how to fight drugs in order to move towards a strong and healthy society.
