DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Monday appealed to African countries to step up the fight against illicit drugs use and drug trafficking.
"Africa has recently become a focus of drug trafficking and illicit use, posing a new challenge to international counter-narcotic efforts," said Majaliwa on the opening ceremony of the 28th meeting of heads of law enforcement agencies in Africa.
Majaliwa said drug trade generates organized crimes, including human trafficking, terrorism, money laundering, dissemination of weapons and cyber crimes.
"On the other hand, combating drugs will have a huge impact not only in the fight against drugs but also reduction in other organized crimes," said Majaliwa.
He said it was of paramount importance for all countries across the globe to fight all types of illicit traffic of narcotics since there was no country which was safe from the vice.
Majaliwa added that it was very critical to support and strengthen the international legal framework in the scope of drug control, which rested upon all the three fundamental UN conventions.
He said in Tanzania drugs threatened human health, as well as people's social and economic activities, adding that researches revealed that at least 20 percent of people who took drugs also suffered from HIV.
Majaliwa said the most consumed illicit drugs in Tanzania were cannabis followed by khat, heroin, cocaine and inhalants.
However, said Majaliwa, Tanzania has seen significant progress in the fight against illicit drugs and a lot has been achieved.
In September 2015, Parliament enacted a new Drug Control and Enforcement Act which led to the establishment of the Tanzanian Drugs Control and Enforcement Authority with the main role of curbing the supply, demand and harms associated with drug use.
"Control measures have been taken towards preventing drug use and trafficking for domestically produced and imported drugs." said him.
