Egypt’s anti-drug programme featured at UN meetings in Vienna

CAIRO - 12 MARCH 2026: Egypt’s Drug Control and Treatment Fund has presented what it called the Egyptian experience in fighting drug use at UN meetings in Vienna, with officials pointing to Al Asmarat area as a strong example of how upgraded housing communities can support prevention and early intervention.

Amr Othman, director of the Fund for combating drug use, said Al Asmarat has become a successful model inside Egypt’s national strategy to combat drugs and reduce the risks of use and addiction, a strategy launched under presidential patronage. His remarks came in the presence of the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and senior delegations from participating countries.

The UNODC in Vienna selected Egypt’s approach as one of seven leading international experiences to be presented during the 69th session of meetings linked to international drug control, currently being held at the UN headquarters in Vienna from March 9 to 13, according to Egyptian officials.

Egypt’s delegation included Othman, Egypt’s ambassador to Austria Mohamed Nasr, Major General Mofeed Fawzy from the anti-narcotics administration, and the fund’s media adviser Medhat Wahba. Organisers said the meetings brought together around 2,000 participants and more than 110 official speakers, alongside ministers and ambassadors from different countries.

Othman said the strategy relies on broad partnership between ministries and relevant state bodies, and is built around prevention as much as treatment.

He described a shift from awareness campaigns to practical prevention inside schools and youth institutions, with family-focused programmes under the idea of “prevention and early detection.” The strategy, he said, also includes creating supportive educational and sports environments that encourage rejecting drug use, and working with religious institutions to correct misconceptions, alongside providing free treatment services.

Othman used Al Asmarat, one of Egypt’s major redeveloped communities, as a case study for how social and urban development can support public health goals.

He said the approach is not limited to housing, but focuses on quality of life through education, health and social services, backed by prevention and treatment programmes on the ground. These include home visits to families, community clinics, and training camps aimed at local youth.

The “CHAMPS” initiative for children and teenagers

The fund also presented the CHAMPS initiative, a prevention programme aimed at children up to the age of 18. Othman said it is being implemented in Al Asmarat and in villages covered by the presidential Haya Karima initiative, with a focus on building skills and protective factors that help children handle stress and risks.

He said Egypt is positioning the programme as part of a prevention-first model that aligns with international standards, and aims to strengthen long-term resilience at the community level.