Japan Contributes to UNODC Programme in Iran for the Fourth Consecutive Year
27 April 2014 - The Government of Japan has contributed 650,000 USD to the UNODC Country Programme of Technical Cooperation on Drugs and Crime in the Islamic Republic of Iran for 2011-2014, to enhance counter-narcotics efforts at border areas between Iran and Afghanistan.
Iran has a 936-km border with Afghanistan, where more than 85% of the world's opiates are being produced, and trafficked. The Japanese financial aid is intended to increase the interdiction capacities of the Iranian drug control agencies and promote regional cooperation against drug trafficking under the Triangular Initiative forum of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.
The generous Japanese contribution to the UNODC programme in Iran is a fine example of a Member State's commitment to the "principle of shared responsibility". Since 2011, Japanese funding has helped in, inter alia, improving the operational capacities of Iranian drug detecting dogs units, training Anti-Narcotics Police on advanced analytical profiling, and promoting regional cooperation on counter-narcotics through different initiatives such as the Triangular Initiative between Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.
Thanking the Government of Japan, UNODC Iran Representative, Leik Boonwaat, said: ''This is an excellent gesture by the Government of Japan that will assist the implementation of the drug and border control programme in a more efficient and effective manner towards improving peace, security and stability in the region''.