The UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme sets up priorities in Uzbekistan and expands to Ayritom Customs post  

On 10 May 2022 the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Central Asia (UNODC ROCA) held the regular National Steering Committee Meeting in Tashkent within the framework of the UNODC–World Customs Organization (WCO) Global Container Control Programme (CCP).

The event brought together the CCP national counterparts from the National Information-Analytical Center on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NCDC) and the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan (SCC), including the Team Leaders of Port Control Units (PCUs) deployed at Tekhkontora Chukursay, Alat, Yallama Customs post and Air Cargo Control Unit based at Aviayuklar Customs posts.

The parties reviewed the progress and outcomes of the joint work done during the first half of 2022, discussed the current successes, needs, and lessons learned, and outlined future priorities of cooperation for the second half of this year.

Mr. Batyr Geldiyev, UNODC Regional Programme Coordinator stated that CCP jointly with Uzbek national counterparts had established a good practice of collecting the feedback of beneficiary agencies in Uzbekistan and elaborating joint work plans through such regular steering committee meetings. The office equipment and technical means, requested by national counterparts earlier this year had been handed over to NCDC as part of the Steering Committee Meeting.

On 11 May 2022, the CCP team from UNODC ROCA paid a working visit to the Ayritom Border Customs Post on the Uzbek-Afghan border in Surkhandarya region to work out on the operation modality of a new Port Control Unit (PCU) that is going to be established at the Customs post, as part of the mutual agreement reached with the Government of Uzbekistan. The staff composition, premises, additional training, and equipment for future PCU were elaborated jointly with Uzbek national counterparts. The equipment and other technical means procured by CCP for Ayritom PCU were handed over to the Customs post.  

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia is funded by 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.