The Fifth Programme Steering Committee meeting of UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2015-2020 took place online

Tashkent, 4 November 2020. The Fifth Programme Steering Committee meeting of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Programme for Central Asia 2015-2020 took place online due to COVID-19 pandemic limitations. The members jointly reviewed the progress and achievements, as well as discussed the strategic areas that require joint interventions in 2021-2025.

The online meeting brought together over 150 participants, including representatives from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Justice, Health, Public Education, Drug Control Agencies, the Supreme Courts, General Prosecutor’s Offices, State Customs Committees, State Security Services, State Border Guard Committees, and other Agencies and Government bodies working in close partnership with UNODC Programme Offices in from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, as well as donors, UN Resident Coordinators and UN Family in Central Asian States, along with UNODC staff.

Since the time UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2015-2020 was launched, major achievements have been made jointly with partners in four priority areas of Countering Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Drug Trafficking and Terrorism; Criminal Justice, Crime Prevention and Integrity; Drug Prevention, Treatment and Reintegration and HIV Prevention; Research and Trend Analysis, advocacy and evidence-based policy making. An overview of key achievements by the Programme in 2019-2020 can be found in this video below:

“We at UNODC ROCA are proud of the diversified portfolio of initiatives implemented within the Programme for Central Asia, which has been successful in bringing the entire sub-region together, building up on its common past, and the common future. The Programme has provided an integrated strategic framework for a more structured and efficient technical assistance to Member States based on the principles of human rights, rule of law, gender equality, youth engagement, sustainable development and leaving no one behind”, highlighted Ms. Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative to Central Asia.

An overview of support to the national responses to COVID-19 crisis along with the menu of services being provided by UNODC in the Central Asian States was also presented to the participants:

Government partners from all five countries expressed their commitment to further support UNODC Programme in the region and agreed to extend UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2015-2020 till the end of 2021 in order to provide smooth transition from the current cycle to the new UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2021-2025.

Donors have made their statements, highlighting the perspective areas of focus for further cooperation and confirmed their readiness to continue their partnership with UNODC in Central Asian Region.

“We are working on the development of the new cycle of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2021-2025 in consultation with the Member States in the region. In this regard, I appreciate the partners in all the Central Asian states for the active involvement in the national consultations, as well as in the ongoing independent evaluation of the current programmes, which will be duly taken into account for the new Programme portfolio development and its implementation. This programme should continue to serve the people in Central Asia, make the region safer and more resilient”, - said Ms. Candice Welsch, Deputy Director of Operations at UNODC headquarters in her speech.

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia will continue to support Member States in making the region safer from drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism and advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the framework of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2015-2020, the next cycle of programming for 2021-2025.

 

For additional Information, please address:

Эта статья на русском.

Shakhnoza Zafari,

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Tashkent)

Mobile: +998935547895

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

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Vasilina Brazhko,

Communication and Public Relations Specialist

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Bishkek)

Mobile: +996775987817

E-mail: vasilina.brazhko[at]un.org

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Nurangez Abdulhamidova,

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Dushanbe)

Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org