The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will enhancecooperation to effectively meet the challenges posed by non-traditionalsecurity issues, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.

ASEAN’s Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC)reaffirmed the commitment to combat this security challenge in SiemReap, Cambodia on June 8-11.

To counter the increasingincidences of transnational crimes and to institutionalise the ASEANcooperation framework, the meeting unanimously agreed to adopt the ASEANConvention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women andChildren (ACTIP) and the ASEAN Plan of Action against Trafficking inPersons, Especially Women and Children (APA) which will be sent to theASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime for endorsement.

The senior officials discussed the rise of violence and brutalitycommitted by extremist organisations and radical groups in Iraq andSyria. They noted Malaysia's plan to host a Special Ministerial Meetingon the Rise of Radicalisation and Violent Extremism to address thechallenges posed to ASEAN.

Further, they discussed thecomplexity of irregular migration and the suffering of the victims whofall prey to human trafficking and people-smuggling crimes. As thisissue needed urgent attention, they noted Malaysia's intention to hostan Emergency Ministerial Meeting on the Issue of Irregular Movement ofPeople in Southeast Asia on July 2.

The SOMTC alsoheld consultations with Australia, Canada, China, the European Union,India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, the UnitedStates and the Plus Three.

All dialogue partners agreed toenhance and deepen cooperation with ASEAN in efforts to suppresstransnational crime in the region.

In addition, thesenior officials met Representatives from the United Nations Office onDrugs and Crime (UNODC), Australia-Asia Program to Combat Trafficking inPersons (AAPTIP) and International Criminal Police Organization(INTERPOL) to further strengthen cooperation and collaboration withthese organisations.-VNA