Ambassador U Min Thein, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations and other International Organizations based in Vienna, attended a Special Event to commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, held on 26 June 2026 at the Vienna International Centre, Austria.
During the ceremony, opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Amb. Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative of Armenia and Chair of the 69th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), and Ms. Monica Juma, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), followed by a presentation on the World Drug Report 2026.
In his statement, the Myanmar Permanent Representative highlighted that to commemorate the 39th International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Myanmar incinerated seized narcotic drugs and precursor chemicals worth over US$ 603 million. He further elaborated that, through special operations conducted from 2025 to May 2026, authorities seized narcotic drugs, precursor chemicals worth more than US$ 680 million and uncovered 20 drug manufacturing sites and 41 tablet press machines. He also underscored Myanmar’s strict monitoring of chemical imports through the PEN and PEN Online Light systems, as well as the implementation of alternative development programmes in opium-growing areas to promote sustainable livelihoods and awareness raising through school, community outreach and various media platforms.
The Permanent Representative also stressed that the production and trafficking of narcotic drugs are carried out by ethnic armed organizations in border areas under their control. These groups use the proceeds from the illicit activities to finance their operations and acquire weapons. He added that, to address the problem at its root, the Myanmar Government is pursuing dialogue with ethnic armed organizations alongside law enforcement efforts, with the aim of achieving lasting peace and stability. He concluded by reaffirming Myanmar’s commitment to continued cooperation with UNODC, neighbouring countries, and international partners through a comprehensive and balanced approach in addressing the global drug problem.
