27th session of Arab Interior Ministers Council opens in Tunis
TUNISIAONLINENEWS- On March 16, 2010, works of the 27th session of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, held under the high patronage of President Ben Ali opened in Tunis.
Arab States’ Interior Ministers, senior security delegations and representatives of the United Nations Organization, the Arab League, the Arab Gulf Countries Cooperation Council, the Arab Maghreb Union, the Arab Labor Organization, the Nayef University of Science and Security and the Arab Police Sports Union took part in the event.
Chaired by Jordan which takes over from Lebanon, the 27th session includes a set of items on the fight against the illegal use of drugs and psychotropic substances, terrorism, corruption, money laundering, cyber criminality and fight against transnational organized crime, as well as a second provisional plan for the implementation of an Arab strategy for civil defence.
The opening session was marked by President Ben Ali’s address, delivered on his behalf by Interior and Local Development Minister Rafik Belhaj Kacem.
Mr. Chedli Neffati Arab League Deputy Secretary-General and President of the Tunis Centre, delivered an address, on behalf of the Arab League Secretary-General Mr. Amr Moussa. He expressed his consideration to President Ben Ali for his sustained support for joint Arab action.
He also underlined the importance of the items on the agenda of the current session which reflect the major responsibility falling on the Council to boost Arab joint action to fight dangers threatening the Arab societies as a result of the sharp rise of the phenomenon of criminality, particularly, terrorist crimes, drug-trafficking, transitional organized crimes and corruption.
On his part, Prince Nayef Ibn Abdulaziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of Saudi Arabia and President of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, delivered an address in which he extended to President Ben Ali his consideration for the attention he gives on the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council and its Secretariat-General.
He also expressed pride at the achievements accomplished in the Arab security action sector as well as the practical plans and strategies implemented to this effect, concerning in particular prevention of crime, fight against terrorism, road safety, civil defense, as well as fight against drugs, financial control and security awareness.
Mr. Mohamed Ibn Ali Koumen Secretary-General of the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council said that the current session of the Council is held in a delicate situation marked by great changes in the area of criminality and development of links between terrorism and different forms of organized crimes.
Mr. Ziad Baroud, Lebanese Minister of the Interior and Municipalities and outgoing Chairman of the 26th session of the Council stressed, in his address, the importance of challenges faced by the Arab peoples due to the upheavals experienced on the international scene.
The chairmanship of the 27th session of the Council was then handed over to Mr. Nayef Saud Al Qadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Jordan.
In his address, the Jordanian minister underlined the development of the phenomenon of criminality worldwide, first and foremost terrorism, a phenomenon strange to Arab societies and contrary to the precepts of the noble Muslim religion.
 |
|
|
|
