6 December 2016 - In recent days, UNODC and the Government of Pakistan signed a new Country Programme aiming to address transnational organized crime and illicit drugs in the South Asian country. The programme aims to enhance the skills and knowledge of law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in overcoming the complex threats posed by organized criminals.
Additionally, the programme, which has a budget of $70 million and spans the 2016-2019 period, will also improve cooperation among neighboring countries to better address their common challenges regarding different areas, including illicit trafficking and border management, the criminal justice system and legal reforms, and drug demand reduction, prevention and treatment.
At the signing ceremony, the UNODC Deputy Executive Director, Aldo Lale-Demoz, highlighted the success of the previous Country Programme, while appreciating the support extended to UNODC by the Government of Pakistan.
For his part, Ajaz Ali Khan, Federal Secretary of the Pakistan Narcotics Control Division, expressed his Government's readiness to continue working with UNODC and the international community and offered his country's full support in the implementation of the new programme.
The initiative has a cross-cutting component - on research, analysis and eLearning - which aims to promote modern methods of training, including computer based training (CBT), while strengthening the research and analysis practices for developing policies and guidelines, all with the objective of improving the rule of law, governance and public health in the country.
The programme is a result of a long-standing partnership between UNODC and Pakistan and it was developed in close consultation with provincial and national stakeholders, focusing on the priority areas highlighted by the Government, to ensure that the programme's strategic goals are in line with the Government's wider strategies, and further help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Additionally, a briefing about the new country Programme was held in Vienna today for all Permanent Missions accredited there, with the participation of a representative of the Pakistan Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, and UNODC's Representative in the country.