Egypt is showcasing its expertise in combating addiction and drug abuse, through an exhibition held at the United Nations headquarters in Vienna on the sidelines of the 69th Session of the Commission on Narcotics Drugs (CND69), March 9-13. The expo highlights treatment, rehabilitation and prevention programmes.
Director of Egypt’s Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Psychotropic Substance Abuse, and the country’s Ambassador to Austria Vienna Mohamed Nasr, also permanent representative to the UN international organisations in Vienna, opened the fund’s exhibition.
The exhibition highlights the work mechanisms of the fund’s Azima (Will) centres, which provide free treatment and rehabilitation services for addicts, in line with international standards.
It also showcases economic empowerment programmes for recovered patients by training them in vocational skills needed in the labour market as part of post-treatment services. The Azima centres have become one of the leading regional models in addiction treatment and rehabilitation.
The exhibition presents the pillars of the National Strategy for Combating Drugs and Reducing the Risks of Drug Abuse, launched under auspices of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
The strategy is being carried out in co-operation with relevant ministries and authorities.
Moreover, the expo highlights the implementation of drug-prevention programmes in newly developed housing areas, in line with presidential directives. Various public awareness programmes are also being carried out to raise awareness among different segments of society about the dangers of drug abuse.
Holding the fund’s expo on the sidelines of the CND69 reflects Egypt’s leading regional role in this field.
In 2025, the Fund contributed to the development of the Arab anti-drugs plan in co-operation with the League of Arab States. It also provided technical support to the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to prepare the Gulf anti-drug strategy, which was launched by GCC leaders.
