Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, issued a federal decree-law establishing the “National Anti-Narcotics Agency” and appointing Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan as its President. This comes within the framework of strengthening the national anti-drug system and unifying federal and local efforts to combat this scourge in a way that enhances the security of society and protects its members.
The agency is an independent federal body affiliated with the Cabinet, replacing the General Administration for Combating Drugs in the Ministry of Interior, and is responsible for developing and implementing public policies, legislation and strategies related to combating drugs and tracking and controlling their smuggling and promotion networks in coordination with the relevant authorities at the federal and local levels.
According to the federal decree-law, the National Anti-Narcotics Agency will assume a number of national competencies and responsibilities aimed at enhancing community security, combating various types of drug-related crimes, and ensuring an effective legislative and executive environment to reduce them. The most prominent competencies include combating drug trafficking, tracking and controlling drug smuggling and trafficking networks, and bringing those involved to the competent judicial authorities, in coordination with the competent authorities and in accordance with the legislation in force in the countryPreparing and developing policies, strategies, and legislation related to drug affairs, related crime patterns, and ways to combat them, submitting them to the Cabinet for approval in accordance with the legislation in force in the country, and coordinating with the relevant authorities to monitor, inspect, and track persons, goods, and means of transportation to combat the entry or exit of drugs from the country, in addition to following up and monitoring activities and operations suspected of being related to drug smuggling or trafficking.
The Authority’s competencies also include proposing and preparing controls for the circulation of chemical precursors used for purposes other than medical purposes, procedures for obtaining permission, the method of circulation, keeping records, clearing customs procedures related to them, and submitting them to the Cabinet for approval, and coordinating with the relevant authorities for the purposes of monitoring medical and pharmaceutical facilities to prevent the illegal sale or dispensing of medicines or medical products containing narcotic substances or psychotropic substances In addition to following up on the treatment and rehabilitation of addicts in coordination with the relevant authorities, launching and organizing awareness initiatives and campaigns related to combating drugs and introducing their harms and negative effects on individuals and society, and coordinating with other countries and international organizations to exchange information and experiences on operations to combat drug smuggling and drug smuggling and trafficking networks, taking into account coordination with the relevant authorities and following the procedures adopted in accordance with the legislation in force in the country.
To enhance coordination efforts between federal and local authorities, the agency is responsible for establishing and organizing a comprehensive and integrated national database on all information and data related to its competencies, and is working to ensure integration in exchanging this data with the relevant authorities in a way that enhances the efficiency of the response and the effectiveness of national policies.
The agency’s role also includes coordinating with relevant health and social authorities to follow up on the treatment and rehabilitation of addicts, ensuring their reintegration into society through integrated programs based on best therapeutic and rehabilitation practices.
The agency is also responsible for preparing and publishing specialized studies and research on the phenomenon of addiction and drug control, with the aim of enhancing scientific knowledge and providing evidence-based recommendations to decision-makers and relevant institutions.
