VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN)Petrus Reinhard Golose agreed to intensify cooperation between BNN and the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (DEVIDA) of Peru in addressing the problem of drugs.

Golose made the statement after his meeting with Peruvian Ambassador to Indonesia Luis Tsuboyama at the BNN headquarters in Cawang, East Jakarta.

"The Peruvian ambassador to Indonesia invited us to visit Peru in order to see the implementation of alternative development by DEVIDA Peru and to discuss various other possible steps that can be taken together in overcoming the drugs problem," Golose stated as quoted from the BNN official page, Monday.

During the meeting, Golose and Ambassador Tsuboyama discussed the cooperation between BNN and DEVIDA in handling the narcotics problems in both nations.

Earlier, BNN had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DEVIDA on 2013. Later on, BNN held a meeting with DEVIDA on December 9, 2022, to agree on an action plan for 2021 as the implementation of the MoU between BNN and DEVIDA.

Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, BNN and DEVIDA Peru conducted online activities related to alternative development in 2021.

During the meeting, DEVIDA Peru shared its successful experience in transforming 55 thousand hectares of coca land, or cocaine raw material, in Peru where people have a tradition of growing coca into areas that produce high economic value in agricultural and livestock products, such as chocolate, coffee, avocado, bananas, ginger, freshwater fish, and honey.

The meeting produced two points of agreement between BNN and DEVIDA Peru in the form of information exchange regarding sustainable integrated alternative development interventions in the national narcotics control policy and the exchange of information on successful methods and experiences of sustainable alternative development in Peru. (Antaranews)