During the conferment ceremony, the three-star general opined that Ambassador Priyo Iswanto had succeeded and played a concrete role in enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the fight against drugs.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Colombian National Police presented the Mayor Wilson Quintero Martinez Award to Indonesian Ambassador to Colombia Priyo Iswanto to acknowledge his services and contributions to the bilateral cooperation between both nations in combating drugs.

Chief of the Anti-Narcotics Department of the Colombian National Police Major General Jorge Luis Ramirez bestowed the award upon Ambassador Iswanto in recognition of his contributions to the cooperation between the department and Indonesian National Narcotics Agency in the fight against drug abuse, the Indonesian Embassy in Bogota noted in a written statement released on Thursday.

"During the conferment ceremony, the three-star general opined that Ambassador Priyo Iswanto had succeeded and played a concrete role in enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the fight against drugs," the embassy stated.

Iswanto is the first foreign ambassador to be the award’s recipient. In the meantime, a similar award was also bestowed upon Colombian Ambassador to Indonesia Juan Camillo Valencia during a moderate and solemn function held by abiding to stringent health protocols.

Iswanto affirmed that the Mayor Wilson Quintero Martinez Award conferred upon the Indonesian nation mirrored the strong commitment of both nations to cooperate in eradicating drug abuse.

"Indonesia has become a market for drugs. Currently, we are bearing witness to the emergence of new psychotropic substances reaching hundreds in number, while on the other hand, they have not been registered and no directives are available for their use. Hence, cooperation between the two nations, particularly between the Colombian Anti-Narcotics Department and the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency, should be stepped up," he stated.

Both agencies had forged cooperation since 2016 to combat the production, processing, and circulation of drugs. They continue to intensify cooperation through multilateral and bilateral forums.

To strengthen bilateral cooperation, Jorge Ramirez had paid a visit to Indonesia in October 2019 following which two Colombian police officers had participated in an international training on narcotics enforcement in Jakarta in November 2019.

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Translator: Aria Cindyara/Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
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