Delivering equipment and setting up priorities in Central Asia under UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme

On 16 December 2020, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Office for Central Asia conducted a hand-over ceremony of the specialized equipment to the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan under UNODC-World Customs Organization (WCO) Global Container Control Programme (CCP). During hand-over ceremony, Mr. Habibullo Vohidzoda, Director of the Drug Control Agency stated that Tajikistan highly appreciates the cooperation with UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme and referred to Tajikistan’s support and signing the Memorandum of Understanding of the Inter-regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units within CCP. He noted that the Programme’s implementation significantly increases the security of international trade supply carried out by containers and other cargo transportation modes.

Mr. Batyr Geldiyev, UNODC Regional Programme Coordinator congratulated Mr. Vohidzoda with the appointment as the Director of the Drug Control Agency (DCA) under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and expressed his confidence that a fruitful cooperation between UNODC and DCA will be further strengthened under Mr. Vohidzoda’s leadership for the peace, security and stability in Tajikistan and the whole region. DCA of Tajikistan is one of CCP beneficiary agencies along with the Customs Service of the Republic under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.

In December, CCP team in Central Asia conducted a series of online CCP Steering Committee Meetings to review the implementation of the Programme, as well as discuss CCP Work Plan for 2021 for Central Asia.

As such, SC meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan and CCP focal points from the Central Apparatus of the Committee took place on 8 December 2020, SC meeting with CCP focal points from the Customs Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and DCA of Tajikistan held on 16 December 2020, and SC meeting with the Chief of International Relations Department of the State Customs Committee (SCC) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, CCP focal points from SCC and members of Port Control Units in Uzbekistan conducted on 17 December 2020.

To ensure sustainable implementation of the Programme as well as to enhance the expertise of the representatives of the competent authorities of Central Asia involved in CCP as well as PCU members during COVID-19 pandemic, the parties discussed both distance learning activities and face-to-face events scheduled for 2021 within CCP.

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

 

Additional information:

Shakhnoza Zafari,

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Tashkent)

Mobile: +998935547895

E-mail: shakhnoza.zafari[at]un.org