The Ethiopian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mesganu Arga, and the UNODC Regional Representative for East Africa, Ashita Mittal, focused their discussions on critical issues such as human trafficking, drug and arms trafficking, distribution of counterfeit goods, smuggling and money laundering, according to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Both sides stressed the importance of a joint approach to tackling these interlinked threats, which threaten the livelihoods of people in the region.

In this regard, Arga reiterated the Ethiopian government’s willingness to work closely with the international organisation to address these challenges in a coordinated manner.

For his part, Mittal stressed that the partnership not only strengthens regional efforts, but also contributes positively to continental initiatives.

He pledged the UNODC’s continued commitment to providing capacity building and technical assistance to enhance the performance of African national institutions in the fight against transnational crime.

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