
23/06/2025
The Drug Abuse Prevention Conference concluded in Abyei
By Makuac Deng Ayei
The Drug Abuse Prevention Conference, organized by Abyei Women’s Union, concluded on Saturday, 21st June 2025, after five days of lengthy deliberations.
The conference was titled "Together for an Abyei Free of Drugs."
The conferees resolved to establish community watch and reporting systems for drug dealers, strengthen the monitoring and regulation of pharmacies, and establish clear controls the sale of certain drug over-the-counter medicines to prevent their misuse within the community, promoting healthy activities and positive role models for youth, supporting rehabilitation and recovery with counseling, job placement, and peer support, and activating and supporting local traditional groups to monitor harmful substances.
While they recommended the enforcement of strict laws and penalties for drug trafficking and unauthorized distribution of drugs, they emphasized the importance of community involvement in addressing these issues.
In his remarks, Mr. Deng Aguer Deng, Chairman of the Abyei Youth Union, recognized the Women’s Union and Detcro organization for conducting a five-day conference to address drug abuse among the youth.
Deng appealed to the community to implement the resolutions to tackle the challenges of alcohol addiction, bongo ma*****na, and other risky drugs.
On her part, Abyei Women's Union Chairlady Madam Awour Anyiel Amath, thanked the Detcro organization for facilitating the conference and the participants for mitigating the risks of drug abuse.
Anyiel urged the community to join hands with law enforcement agencies to strictly enforce the rule of law in preventing drug abuse.
The Ngok Dinka paramount Chief Bulabek Deng Kuol emphasized the collective work of the community and law enforcement agencies to prevent drug abuse.
Deng added that the spiritual fathers of the age sets had applied ceremonies to ban their generations from taking alcohol, Bongo/Ma*****na, and other drugs.
Abyei Civil Society Organization Secretary General, Madam Rose Monytoc Dau, pleaded with the community to unify their efforts to play a vital role in resisting drug abuse and salvaging the youth.
Dau promised that the Abyei civil society organization will work collectively with counterpart bodies to limit the issue of abuse in the area, and the community has to report drug dealers to the CPCs and other security organs.
Detcro’s Program Manager in Abyei, Mr. Bol Biong Bol, urged the government’s executive and the legislative organs to endorse the resolutions to eradicate drug abuse in Abyei. He said the community should unite to fight drug abuse and protect their children.
Biong stated that Detcro will conduct the Ngok-Twic women peace dialogue initiative soon in partnership with UNMISS and other partners.
Meanwhile, Honorable Yohana Akol Ngor, Minister of Information, Communication, Culture, Youth and Sports, assured the community that his ministry will play an essential role by restoring cultural values, sports activities, and theatre awareness to fight drug addictions with the public, women, and Youth.
The Honorable Nyanjang Minyiel Rou, representing the Abyei Legislative Council, emphasized that the protection of youth should start from our homes and on the roads, so that it helps the security organs to act.
Minyiel highlighted that the addictions of drugs lead to increasing crimes of r**e and hijacking of phones at night in Abyei.
Moreover, the resolutions and recommendations were signed and witnessed by Honorable, Ayom Korchiek Minister of Ministry of health and representing Chief Administrator of Abyei Special, Minister of the Ministry of information, communication, culture, youth and Sports, CPC, Civil Society organization, Women Union, Youth Union, Paramount Chief and the newly named generations representative.
The Minister of the Ministry of Health and representing the Chief Administrator of the Abyei Special Administrative Area government, praised the five-day conference organized by the Abyei women's union in partnership with the Detcro Organization, which discussed drug abuse and how to limit it among the youth in the area.
Korchiek added that the Ministry of Health will apply strict measures to the private pharmacies and clinics in Abyei for not selling treatments without a medical doctor's consent.
The Minister assured the community that the Abyei Special Administrative Area government will support and consider the implementation of the resolutions and recommendations to eradicate the issue of drug abuse.
Hon. Ayom directed the CPCs and other security organs to fulfill their roles strictly without tolerance to mitigate the negativity of drug abuse in collaboration with the entire community.