Paris Pact Expert Working Group Meeting on Precursors

13-14 June 2023, Sofia, Bulgaria: The Paris Pact Expert Working Group (EWG) meeting on “Preventing the diversion of Precursor Chemicals” (Pillar III of the Vienna Declaration), hosted by the the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria was joined by over 140 participants in person and online, representing 34 partner countries and 10 international and regional partner organizations, including UNODC.

A global update on the latest trends in the trafficking of opiates, methamphetamine and precursors was provided while several delegates from the partner countries presented their recent police operations and major seizures related of precursors. A representative of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC) briefed on the regional police operation and EUROPOL briefed about their activities and priorities in the area of combatting trafficking of precursors used for opiates and methamphetamine production. UNODC informed about the technical assistance it has provided to the national law enforcement agencies aimed at countering the diversion of precursors, while the experts of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) provided an overview of the implementation of the TIR Convention in examination of road vehicles or containers.

The participants reviewed current gaps and challenges as well as the recent key operational actions and took stock of the recommendations adopted at the last EWG meeting on Precursors. The meeting participants agreed to propose 10 priority operational recommendations to be further reviewed and endorsed at the 17th Policy Consultative Group Meeting (PCGM) scheduled for 11-12 December 2023, in Vienna.

The Paris Pact Initiative is a broad international coalition made up of 58 partner countries and 23 organizations, for combatting the illicit traffic in opiates originating in Afghanistan.

This activity contributes to SDG 16, and particularly its Target 16.4, which is focused on significantly reducing the illicit financial and arms flows, strengthening the recovery and returning of stolen assets, and combatting all forms of organized crime.

https://sdg-tracker.org/peace-justice#targets

For more information on the Paris Pact Initiative: www.paris-pact.net