Uzbekistan hosted Regional "train-the-trainer" and "HazmatID360" workshop

In partnership with the Government of Uzbekistan, UNODC organized the regional "train-the-trainer" and "HazMatID360" workshop under the "UNODC-World Customs Organization (WCO) Global Container Control Programme - Regional Segment for Central Asia and Azerbaijan" on 12-16 September in Tashkent. Representatives of the Customs Committees, other law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan took part in the event. UNODC, WCO representatives, donors and external partners attended the training as well.

During opening ceremony, Mr. Ravshan Akramov, Head of the Department on International Customs Cooperation of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan stressed that Container Control Programme (CCP) provided some positive experience for the State Customs Committee.

In line with the recommendations of the Third Annual CCP Regional Meeting in Bishkek in May 2016, the workshop helped the develop capacities for a country mentor for CCP participating states to ensure sustainability of training; to set up a pool of trainers from Central Asia and Azerbaijan which can be used for facilitation of future training  in the region.

UNODC handed over the HazMatID360 Advanced Portable FT-IR Chemical Identifier to the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The device will serve as an additional tool for ensuring effective container control by the Port Control Units in Uzbekistan. The specialized equipment was also handed over to the Port Control Units in the region and participants were trained on how to use the HazmatID360 equipment to rapidly identify unknown solid and liquid chemicals. 

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