Customs officers in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan strengthen their knowledge on Strategic Trade and Export Control under UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme

During July-August 2020, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Central Asia conducted two national online workshops on the Strategic Trade and Export Control (STEC) for the officers from the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan (SRC), including members of the Port Control Units (PCU) and the Air Cargo Control Units (ACCU) on 27-29 July 2020 and for the officers of the State Customs Service (SCS) under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, PCU members on 11-13 August 2020 under the UNODC-World Customs Organization (WCO) Global Container Control Programme (CCP). The workshops are part of CCP distance learning activities for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for 2020 and aimed to raise awareness, strengthen the knowledge and skills of Customs officers in Central Asia on strategic trade and export control as well as expand PCU’s capacities on more advanced security interdictions.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Marat Kabdushev, a representative from SRC Central Apparatus, CCP National Focal Point expressed his gratitude to UNODC, CCP and the donors for the continued support in strengthening professional expertise of Customs officers engaged in PCU/ACCU operations in risk analysis and profiling of high-risk consignments on sea/rail/air ports. Mr. Ulan Kurmanbekov, a representative from SRC Central Apparatus, CCP National Focal Point noting SCS longstanding partnership with CCP commended the recent accomplishments and seizures made by PCUs in Kyrgyzstan. Mr. Batyr Geldiyev, UNODC Regional Programme Coordinator, encouraged the participants to take an active part in the training and expressed his confidence that the gained knowledge and skills during the training will lead to concrete results and seizures of illicit goods. The workshop was attended by CCP donor representatives from the United States Embassy (Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and the Export Control and Related Border Security Programme) and the Japanese Embassy.

The STEC modules were specially designed to approach PCUs’ needs in container profiling requirements and advanced Customs control of the export/import/transit/transhipment of strategic commodities and dual-use goods. Under the guidance of experienced UNODC experts, Customs officers in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan had an excellent opportunity to learn about countries’ efforts in implementing international commitments to non-proliferation and international security, the types of sanctions and embargoes, the measures to prevent the spread of weapon of mass destruction, etc. The training sessions provided a range of various practical techniques and exercises to identify risk indicators and fraud patterns of illegal operations.       

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia is funded by the Government of Japan and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Programme.

 

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Shakhnoza Zafari

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia

shakhnoza.zafari[at]un.org 

 

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