A view of the ASEAN Law Enforcement High-level Conference on Cooperation in Combating Criminal Fugitives on September 30 in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Senior law enforcement officials from ASEAN member states on Wednesday adopted a joint declaration reaffirming their strong political commitment to strengthening regional cooperation in combating fugitive criminals.

The ASEAN Law Enforcement High-level Conference on Cooperation in Combating Criminal Fugitives was hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security.

At the conference, delegates discussed coordination and cooperation in combating criminal fugitives in an open and frank manner. They agreed on strategic orientations and measures to deepen and strengthen intra-group cooperation.

Speaking at the closing session, Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. Lê Văn Tuyến said the conference reviewed the situation of fugitives at both the national and regional levels, assessed cooperation and identified difficulties and obstacles in joint efforts against them.

Participants discussed strategic solutions to improve the effectiveness of cooperation through ASEAN’s multilateral and bilateral mechanisms. They also agreed on the draft ASEAN action plan to strengthen cooperation in fighting fugitives.

The conference noted that transnational crime in the region, particularly high-tech crime, human trafficking, terrorism, drug-related crime and online fraud, have continued to increase in number and become more complex and serious amid developments in the global and regional situation.

Participants also expressed concern that fugitives hiding or residing illegally in the community pose risks of committing further offences, affecting security and social order in individual countries. Advances in science and technology and deeper regional and international integration have also enabled fugitives to adopt new methods to evade detection, use sophisticated covers and conceal their identities.

The joint declaration stressed the urgent need to strengthen international cooperation in dealing with criminals who use one country’s territory to commit offences in another, as well as in verifying, arresting, receiving and transferring fugitives within the region.

It reaffirmed the strong political commitment and determination to combat criminal fugitives and called for maintaining conferences of this kind as long-term mechanisms for dialogue, coordination and enhanced regional cooperation.

The declaration also set strategic orientations for regional cooperation in fugitive criminals as an emerging non-traditional security challenge, contributing to a safe, stable and prosperous ASEAN and the effective implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

The ASEAN Action Plan focuses on priority areas including legal matters, information sharing, capacity building and public awareness, law enforcement, cooperation with ASEAN dialogue partners, UN agencies and international organisations, as well as mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition in accordance with the domestic laws of ASEAN member states and relevant international law. — VNA/VNS