Kyrgyzstan and UNODC cooperate at countering drug trafficking in the country

The Kyrgyz delegation presented a report on the work done during the 63 rd Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in Vienna, Austria from 2 to 6 March 2020.

According to the Report, the Head of the delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Oleg Zapolsky, Head of the CounternNarcotic Service (CNS) under the Kyrgyz Ministry of Interior, expressed his concern due to the rapid spread of narcotic substances, increased advertising in the Internet and expressed readiness to further the active work to eliminate this phenomenon in the country, with broader involvement of youth to drug use prevention measures.

“The emergence of so-called “new psychoactive substances”, the widespread advertising and distribution of controlled substances through online technologies, the active use of electronic payment systems and the contactless method of selling drugs, and much more indicates a new phase in the history of drug control system where we are now”, said Mr. Zapolsky. “New challenges and threats have become an objective reality and need to be understood and adopt adequate countermeasures. In this case, the importance of drug prevention as a universal way to improve the impact on the drug-related situation is growing significantly and the main focus in this work should be on young people. With their support, we must build an effective system to counter new challenges and threats”.

“Drug abuse is a serious threat to human health, safety and well-being”, said Mr. Andrey Seleznev, Head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Programme Office in the Kyrgyz Republic. “Our work is aimed at providing comprehensive assistance to the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in strengthening the capacity of state authorities in combating the illegal spread of narcotic substances, building comprehensive, international and interagency cooperation in eradicating this global threat”.  

Kyrgyzstan, in turn, is actively working to improve national legislation. This include, first of all, the new version of the Law on dDugs, the new Counter-Narcotics Programme of the Government and the Plan for its implementation, new bylaws and regulatory acts.

The Kyrgyz Republic - having joined in 1994 the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations Convention to Combat Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 - has entered the global system of control over narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. In 2017, by a decision of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Kyrgyzstan re-joined the Commission on Narcotic Drugs with the right to vote until 2021.

Members of the Kyrgyz delegation took part in a number of side events, where they raised issues important for the country, demonstrated successful measures on interdiction and seizure of large quantities of illegal drugs passing through the country's Northern Route and praised the cooperation with the UNODC Program Office in the Kyrgyz Republic. The delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic thanked the donor countries: the Russian Federation, the USA and Japan.

Mr. Oleg Zapolsky expressed high concern about the use of online technologies by organized crime groups, which minimizes direct contacts with the consumer and makes it difficult to track the supply chain from seller to customer. There is also a poor understanding of the operation of Darknet, where only Hydra platform contains  250 virtual stores, whose actions are aimed at the distribution of illicit substances in Kyrgyzstan.

In addition to the side events, bilateral meetings were held with the delegations of Sweden, Japan, China, Qatar, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as with Mr. Alexandre Schmidt, Head of Section for Europe and West and Central Asia, UNODC HQ to discuss further cooperation between the organization and the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs was established in 1946. It consists of representatives of 53 states elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for a four-year term. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs, along with the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, is one of the governing bodies of UNODC. The resolutions and decisions of the Commission serve as guidelines for Member States, UNODC and the international community as a whole. The main function of the Commission is to monitor the application of international treaties on the control of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. More than 1,100 representatives from 130 UN member states, 17 international organizations and 97 civil society organizations participated in it.

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at +996775987817 (WhatsApp)

or by e-mail:  vasilina.brazhko@un.org