Vietnam is urging fellow ASEAN member countries to enhance their cooperative efforts against transnational crime and the pursuit of criminal fugitives within the region. Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng emphasized the importance of this collaboration during a meeting with ASEAN delegation leaders and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat in Hà Nội.
Prime Minister Hưng highlighted the necessity for ASEAN countries to strengthen bilateral extradition and prisoner-transfer agreements. He also called for the acceleration of the ratification process for the ASEAN Treaty on Extradition, which is seen as a crucial step toward more effective regional law enforcement cooperation.
To bolster these efforts, the Vietnamese leader proposed the establishment of effective mechanisms for verifying information, locating, arresting, and transferring fugitives across ASEAN nations. He encouraged the increased use of INTERPOL and ASEANAPOL databases, as well as the development of direct information-sharing channels, to aid in investigations and prevent emerging forms of transnational crime.
In addition to these measures, Prime Minister Hưng suggested more exchanges between law-enforcement agencies, specialized training programs, and closer cooperation in technology and digital transformation. These initiatives aim to enhance the capacity of regional authorities to prevent and investigate cross-border crime effectively.
The conference concluded with the adoption of an ASEAN Joint Action Plan and a Joint Declaration, both aimed at strengthening regional cooperation against criminal fugitives. These agreements are expected to pave the way for a more coordinated approach to tackling transnational crime within the ASEAN framework.