UNODC hands over personal protection equipment to law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan to support the COVID-19 response

On 26 October 2020, UNODC handed over personal protection equipment to the Border Troops under the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan, Customs Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.

In total, 20,000 disposable gloves, 2,000 respiratory masks, 1,000 pieces of antiseptic liquid, 3,000 pieces of liquid antibacterial soap, 100 protective suits and 20 contactless thermometers for a total amount of US$ 20,000 were handed over to the agencies to protect the staff from COVID-19 during their service.

“Providing security and law and order is a continuous process, and law enforcement agencies must continue to perform their service regardless of the circumstances. We thank the UNODC Regional Border Cooperation Project for the support to Tajikistan’s law enforcement agencies to perform their duties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Khurshed Abdullozoda, Head of International Department of Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

“Despite the quarantine measures, border officers in Tajikistan continue to serve at the border crossing points. The primary task of law enforcement agencies is to protect the life and health of people, ensure community safety and security, and the rule of law. Law enforcement agencies are most often at the forefront of responding to many crises in society even if this goes beyond their core responsibilities, such as their response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Yusuf Kurbonov, International Programme Coordinator, UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia.

The assistance was provided under the Regional Border Cooperation Project designed to counter the trafficking of Afghan opiates through the Northern Route by enhancing the capacity of key border crossing points and establishing Border Liaison Offices (BLOs) at the key border crossing points in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. It is the first project to establish BLOs in Central Asia, and its stakeholders are the Border and Customs Services as well as Drug Control Agencies and Ministries of Internal Affairs of each participating country.

In February this year, the Government of Japan allocated 743 million yen to UNODC for the implementation of the project.

In March this year, the UNODC Regional Border Cooperation Project provided the abovementioned law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan with respiratory masks for a total amount of US$ 4,000 with financial support from the Government of Japan.

The Government of Japan allocated US$22,800.00 each for five countries in a total of US$ 114,000.00 to procure personal protection equipment and medical kits to support law enforcement agencies in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

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Nurangez Abdulhamidova

Communication and External Relations Officer

Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org