UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme Strengthens Customs Situation Center and Port Control Units in the Kyrgyz Republic

On 4th November 2021, United Nations Office on drugs and Crime Regional Office for Central Asia handed over specialized equipment to the State Customs Service under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic under UNODC- World Customs Organization (WCO) Container Control Programme to strengthen the Customs’ capacity on the detection of illicit goods and violation of Customs regulations.

The specialized equipment including servers with specialized software, furniture, computers, radio sets, drug and precursors test kits and other equipment were transferred for the use by the Situation Center of the Customs Central Apparatus, operational Port Control Units in Bishkek and Osh and new Port Control Unit to be established in Batken.

“I express my gratitude to the Container Control Programme (CCP) and CCP team for tangible development of Customs in the Kyrgyz Republic and we are ready to continue our cooperation in the implementation of new tasks and initiatives”, said Mr. Erik Iriskulbekov, Deputy Head of the State Customs Service under the Ministry of Economic and Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Mr. Batyr Geldiyev, Regional UNODC Regional Programme Coordinator emphasized: “The Container Control Programme is uniquely placed to assist Governments to create sustainable enforcement structures in selected sea, dry and airports ports in order to minimize the risk of shipping containers being exploited for illicit drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and other forms of black-market activity.”

Kyrgyzstan has joined CCP in 2015 and since then successfully participated in all stages of capacity building measures envisaged by the Programme including theoretical and practical training courses, study visits, mentoring programs. Two Port Control Units were opened based at the Central Apparatus of the State Customs Service in Bishkek and the South-Western Customs in Osh and establishing of another PCU in Batken Customs is underway.

Starting from 2020, CCP contributed to the establishment of the Situation Centre of the State Customs Service, ensured the development and implementation of the first of its kind automated information system called “Situation Centre” and “Reference database” which are important for the day-to -day operation, collecting and analyzing bulk information from Customs posts of the country.

On 3rd November 2021, Mr. Adilet Kubanychbekov, the Chairman of the to the State Customs Service of the Kyrgyz Republic hosted Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization at the Customs Central Apparatus and demonstrated the newly established Situation Center and its automated information system. During this visit, Mr. Batyr Geldiyev stressed that the Container Control Programme represents a true partnership between UNODC, WCO and Customs Administrations across the world and CCP is happy to contribute to the establishment of the Situation Center of the Kyrgyz Customs.

 

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

***

For more information, contact Vasilina Brazhko (Ms.)

Communication and PR Specialist at

UNODC ROCA

+996775987817 WhatsApp

vasilina.brazhko [at] un.org