UNODC and CARICC convened the Regional Working Group Meeting of Law Enforcement Agencies of Central Asia on development of Regional Information and Communication System


On 3-4 August 2023, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in cooperation with the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), convened a Regional Working Group Meeting of Law Enforcement Agencies of Central Asia on development of Regional Information and Communication System in Almaty, the Republic of Kazakhstan. The purpose of the Regional Working Group meeting was to design, develop and agree on a concept to further develop Regional Information-Communication System.

The meeting brought together border law enforcement agencies experts from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, UNODC International Consultants and CARICC. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Yusuf Kurbonov, UNODC International Coordinator and Mr. Atageldi Yazlyyev, the CARICC Director. 

Based on the recommendations of the outcome document of the First Regional Expert Meeting of Heads of Analytical Departments of Competent Authorities of Central Asian countries held on 3 August 2022, the Working Group has worked on elaboration of the "Terms of Reference for Establishment of the Regional Information and Communication System". It is expected that the system will actively integrate with the Regional Cross-Border Cooperation Component of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia.

As a coordinating body of international drug control operations of Central Asian countries, Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation, CARICC will further work with member states to strengthen  the capacity of the Center for collecting, processing, analyzing and exchanging data in order to increase the efficiency, synergy and synchronization of the activities of the competent authorities of the CARICC member states aimed at countering modern challenges and threats posed by transnational organized crime is of particular importance.

As a result of the meeting, the Working Group members have formulated the key steps for the development of the CARICC information and communication system and developed a final document of the Concept and the Action Plan to be endorsed by the CARICC Council meeting in October 2023.

Mr. Yusuf Kurbonov emphasized the importance of this regional meeting that will give impulse to the implementation of practical mechanism on the exchange of data between the competent agencies of Central Asia within the framework of CARICC.

Participants underscored the importance of engagement by enhancing international cooperation, sharing positive experiences, and further developing relations in the field of border security and countering transnational drug crime.

The event was organized with the financial support of the Government of Japan.