Paris Pact Expert Working Group Meeting held to discuss Precursors 

24-25 October 2022, Bucharest, Romania: The Paris Pact Expert Working Group meeting on “Preventing the diversion of Precursor Chemicals” (Pillar III of the Vienna Declaration), hosted by the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC) - was joined in person and online by over 100 participants, representing 31 partner countries and 6 international and regional partner organizations, including UNODC.

In the Expert Working Group meeting the current security situation in Afghanistan was discussed and updates on the latest trends in the trafficking of opiates, methamphetamine and precursors provided. Several delegates from the partner countries made presentations illustrating the recent joint operations. International organizations informed about the technical assistance they have provided to the national law enforcement agencies aimed at countering the diversion of precursors. The representatives of the key regional hubs for Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe, Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC) and SELEC, respectively, briefed the meeting participants on recent seizures of drugs and precursors while the experts of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) provided an update on the current and planned approaches to the control of the precursors and highlighted INCB’s activities to support the investigations. The field-based Paris Pact Liaison Officers made a joint presentation on the recent developments along the three main drug trafficking routes from Afghanistan.

The Expert Working Group meeting agreed on 11 prioritized operational recommendations, which are pending the review and endorsement of the 16th Policy Consultative Group Meeting (PCGM), to be held on 5-6 December 2022, 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.

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

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