Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Black Sea Region Establish Inter-Regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units

22 May 2019, Tashkent, Uzbekistan - The Heads of Customs Authorities of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Georgia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and the Republic of Uzbekistan committed to further foster Customs cooperation by signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Inter-Regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units (PCU) within the framework of the Global Container Control Programme (CCP) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Customs Organization (Inter-Regional Network) at the Sixth Annual Inter-Regional Meeting organized jointly with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Mr. Murotjon Azimov, Head of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in his welcoming address, highlighted that "the CCP has become an effective mechanism of regional cooperation representing the platform for discussion and establishing networks in the field of countering smuggling of goods, including illegal drugs, which remains a threat to regional and international security."

"Today's meeting marks a historic signing of MOU by the Heads of Customs Administration from 9 participating countries. It also launches a new phase of our cooperation towards combatting drug trafficking and other criminal activities along with facilitation of legitimate trade under Inter-Regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units within CCP." - said Ms. Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia, in her address.

The existing inter-regional infrastructure created under the CCP in the participating countries is expected to become an organizational and communication platform for information sharing within the Network. The Network comprises of representatives of Customs Authorities of the Parties, CCP National Focal Points and members of PCUs.

The Inter-Regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units will focus on the (1) Exchange of information on high-risk import, export and transit consignments among Customs Authorities and Port Control Units of the Parties; and (2) Interception of smuggling, counterfeit goods and Customs violations.

The establishment of the Inter-Regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units within CCP (Inter-Regional Network) was proposed by CCP participating countries in 2018 during the CCP Fifth Annual Inter-Regional Meeting in May 2018 in Avaza, Turkmenistan. The CCP coordinates operation of the 13 PCUs in Central Asia. In 2019, three new PCUs were opened in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

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.

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