Ongoing Projects

RER/H22 - "Establishment of the Central Asia Regional Information and Coordination Center" (CARICC)"

The project was launched in late 2004 and taking into consideration seriousness of the drug trafficking situation and the urgent need to take measures to promote regional cooperation, following consultations with project donors and the participating countries, it was agreed, that a pilot phase would be introduced to take place to start initial operations of the Centre without further delays - i.e. before the Agreement enters into force.
On November 1, 2007 the pilot phase of CARICC was launched. Two years later, on 22 March, 2009 the CARICC Agreement entered into force. In September 2009, the Host government agreement was signed with the Government of Kazakhstan thus allowing full scale operations of the Centre.
Activities of the Centre are supported by core staff (selected on competitive basis from the law enforcement agencies of the participating countries) and by liaison officers from each of the participating states attached to it. Provision has also been made for other interested countries and international organisations such as Interpol, Europol, and World Customs Organisation to post liaison officers to CARICC to facilitate cooperation and information flow.

 

GLO/G80 - "Container Control Programme (CCP) - Turkmenistan Segment"

Increased participation in international trade is an essential part of sustainable development. In the framework of the project Turkmenistan will receive assistance to establish effective trade security and facilitation standards in their sea and dry ports as the UNODC Container Control Programme aims at improving the security in the containerized trade supply chain and facilitate the legal trade.
Establishment of joint inter-agency port control units, introduction to risk-based profiling of containers and improved information exchange at the national, regional and international levels will enhance the capacity of the law enforcement agencies in Turkmenistan to counter the use of containers for the transport of illicit goods, including narcotics.
The Container Control Programme encourages to forge partnerships between the relevant law enforcement agencies, and to develop closer cooperation and information exchange mechanisms and links to the trade and business community.

 

GLO/J89 - "Ministerial Conference 'Border Management and Drug Control in Central Asia'"

Central Asia's borders present a unique opportunity for intercepting trade, foremost illicit drug trafficking but equally secondary activities such as the trafficking of precursor chemicals and weapons. Currently, the risk of detection for smugglers is not high through most of the Central Asian-Afghan crossings. Furthermore, irregular crossings of the Afghan border are present various smuggling options. In view of this, the main stakeholders in the region have decided to take stock of ongoing activities at a Ministerial Conference in Dushanbe that took place in August 2008.
The project ensures follow-up to the Dushanbe conference by promoting the Automated Drug Assistance Mechanism (ADAM) and organising coordination meetings at the regional and/or national levels.
The project will also support the annual review meeting of the parties to the Memorandum on Sub-regional Drug Control cooperation in Central Asia (MOU) to be held in Kazakhstan in December 2009.

 

GLO/J33 - "The Paris Pact Initiative, Phase II - A partnership to counter traffic in and consumption of Afghan opiates"

This project is meant to facilitate the follow-up to the first and second Ministerial Conferences on Drug Trafficking Routes from Afghanistan, which were held in Paris and Moscow in May 2003 and June 2006, respectively.
It aims to positively impact on the drug situation in priority countries along the Afghan opiates trafficking routes through a concerted identification of problem areas (both geographically and substantively) and actions required to address them, as well as through coordination of counter narcotics technical assistance.
To achieve these objectives, a consultative mechanism and an internet-based automated donor assistance database (ADAM - www.paris-pact.net) are continued from phase I (project number GLO/IO5) but reinforced in this phase through lessons learnt (e.g. external evaluation report). This second phase of the Paris Pact is brought in line with the UNODC Regional Strategic Paper for Central and West Asia, and as agreed at the Paris Pact Policy Consultative Group Meeting held in Vienna on Monday 27 November 2006, will aim to be even more successful and operationally-oriented by: (i) improving the operational focus of the consultative mechanism; (ii) ensuring a more efficient/effective follow-up to the Paris Pact recommendations; (iii) ensuring wider use and sustainability of ADAM; (iv) strengthening of analytical capacities; (v) advocating a balanced approach to drug issues; and (vi) fostering partnerships with sub-regional, regional and international players.

 

RER/F43 - "Assistance in developing Controlled Delivery Techniques"

The project assists the MOU member states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Azerbaijan) to set up and/or develop national mechanisms and capacities to carry out controlled deliveries. This will, in turn, enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies in the region to dismantle the criminal networks involved in illicit drug trafficking. The project also assists the MOU member states in improving their ability to detect sources and destinations of drug shipments, as well as to identify national, regional and international trafficking routes. By doing so the project serves as one of the key elements for effective implementation of CARICC initiative one of the objectives of which is the assistance in creating regional mechanisms for joint operations including controlled deliveries through the network of liaison officers seconded to CARICC from participating states.

 

XAC/K22 - "Countering the trafficking of Afghan opiates via the northern route by enhancing the capacity of key border crossings points (BCPs) and through the establishment of Border Liaison Offices (BLOs)"

The total volume of opiates smuggled from Afghanistan along the so called "Northern Route" encompassing Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, has soared since 1999. Today, 25 % of all heroin smuggled from Afghanistan transits the "Northern Route", posing a particular threat to Europe and the Russian Federation. Concerted efforts are required to build capacities at the Central Asian Border Crossing Points (BCPs), enhance the level of expertise of officers at these crossings and to establish working, intelligence-sharing and communications mechanisms between agencies employed there. The Border Liaison Office (BLO) concept is seen as being a cornerstone to achieve this objective within the Central Asian Republics and extending to increased communication with counterparts in Afghanistan

 

KAZ/I76 - "Strengthening drug and related crime control measures in the selected checkpoints in Kazakhstan"

This project is designed to support the Kazakh Government's current efforts towards strengthening drug and crime control on the routes most vulnerable to drug trafficking. In line with UNODC ROCA's strategic programme framework for Central Asia (2004-2007), which refers to the provision of assistance to improve national and regional law enforcement capacities as an immediate operational priority, the project will improve the capacity of law enforcement officials posted along major transportation routes for identifying and intercepting drug traffickers through the provision of communications and other equipment, vehicles, training and expertise.

 

TAJ/E24 - "Strengthening control along the Tajik/Afghan border"

This project was designed to improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies (1) to identify and intercept drug traffickers, (2) to store and destroy seized drugs; and (3) to effectively use drug-detecting dogs at border control posts. Although the project implementation has strengthened border control in Tajikistan, several of the initial project objectives were not achieved due to insufficient funding. The project plan was revised in 2003 to remain within available funding of USD 4,019,000.
However, the situation along Tajik-Afghan border changed considerably during 2004 and 2005. Large increases of opium poppy cultivation and opiate production in Afghanistan, particularly in northern Badakhshan, Takhar and Kunduz provinces with direct routes into and through Tajikistan, have increased the threat of trafficking activities within Tajikistan. Latest 2008 project revision was based on recommendations of 2006 Counter-Narcotics Evaluation of all UNODC projects in Central Asia 2006 and was aimed at further adjustment of project activities to the Agreement between the Governments of USA and Tajikistan of 2006 to construct/renovate seventeen Border outposts located along Tajik-Afghan border within the territory of Tajikistan, six of which come under responsibility of UNODC TAJ/E24 project.

 

TKM/I78 - "Immediate assistance to Turkmenistan for the strengthening of activities at Imam Nazar checkpoint at the Turkmen -Afghan border"

Turkmenistan shares 800 km border with Afghanistan with the two checkpoints Imam-Nazar and Serhatabad being the main entry routes to the country.
Both checkpoints have recently confronted with an increasing stream of cargo, vehicle and passengers. In addition the the assistance provided by UNODC in 2004-2006 to the Government of Turkmenistan in strengthening the Serhatabat checkpoint the current project focuses on the second checkpoint to improve drug interdiction capacities at Imam-Nazar and promoting operational law enforcement cooperation between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.

 

TKM/J92 - "Strengthening border control along the Turkmen-Uzbek border, in particular at Farap checkpoint" (project concept with requested 10% Allotment)

This project intends to provide the necessary expertise, training and equipment to support to law enforcement agencies located at Farap checkpoint at the Turkmen-Uzbek border. Farap Checkpoint has been identified as one of the main arteries facilitating the flow of persons and cargo for Central/South Asia with the Caucuses, European Union, the Gulf States I. R. of Iran, Turkey, and the Russian Federation. In order to ensure that the facility can meet the challenges of the increase in passengers and goods, the knowledge of the staff and technical capacity of the checkpoint needs to be enhanced. This is a particularly important consideration for national and international agencies bearing in mind Turkmenistan's position as one of Afghanistan's direct neighbours. This project is also complementary to the activities taken under UNODC's TKM/I78 Border Control Project at Imam-Nazar along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan border and is therefore a continuation of UNODC's activities to support the Government of Turkmenistan's efforts to strengthen the border control agencies' drug interdiction capacities. Synergies are also being developed with the Government of the United States, which has already started constructing a new facility at the same checkpoint in line with a bilateral agreement with the Government of Turkmenistan. While their activities also include enhancing the drug interdiction capacity, UNODC will closely cooperate with the US Embassy in order to avoid any duplication in the envisaged technical and training assistance. The full-fledged project document with the overall budget of US$ 1 mln. is being developed.

 

UZB/J49 - "Strengthening Termez River Port checkpoint on the Uzbek-Afghan border"

This project is designed to support the Government's current endeavors by increasing the capability of border guards, customs and law enforcement bodies posted at Termez River Port checkpoint and improving their interdiction abilities relating to both drugs and precursor chemicals. This project will provide equipment such as communication means, detection equipment and specialized training in order to update and upgrade the expertise of law enforcement personnel. It will also be aimed on improving cooperation and coordination between law enforcement agencies serving at Termez River Port.