CARICC Director meets First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic

Mr. Rustam Miralizoda, CARICC Director, met with Mr. Nuran Niyazaliev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, in Bishkek on 3 March 2021.

During the meeting CARICC Director briefed the Kyrgyz side on current situation in the Centre, prospects for enhanced bilateral and multilateral cooperation and joint collaboration within regional and international organizations in effectively countering illicit drug trafficking in the region and beyond. Successful interaction with competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic was mentioned, especially 14 anti-drug operations, starting from 2016 up to the present time.

The parties underscored the necessity to develop mechanisms of interaction of Kyrgyzstan relevant authorities with CARICC and other participants, international organizations and partners on current projects and programmes.

Training course on use of specialized software for information collection and analysis

Staff member of CARICC Information and Analytical Unit and a research and liaison officer of the Paris Pact Initiative of the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia delivered a training on “Use of specialized software data collection and analysis” to personnel of the Situation Center of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan from 16 to 19 February 2021. The training course was held in a hybrid format and included lecture and practical sessions.

During practical sessions participants improved their skills in Microsoft Excel, which will be used in their analytical work in the future.

The training was conducted under Border Cooperation Component of Sub-Programme 1 “Countering transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking and preventing terrorism” of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia. The component is funded by the Government of Japan.

Working meeting between CARICC Director and representatives of the EU LEICA project

Mr. Rustam Miralizoda, CARICC Director, had a meeting with Mr. Emmanuel Gravier, Security and Counterterrorism Coordinator for Central Asia at the European Union Delegation in Bishkek, and Mr. Jerome Ribault-Gaillard, Director of the EU Project LEICA, at the Centre on 12 February 2021.

Participants included heads of CARICC units and Centre personnel and members of the European Union Delegation.

During the visit Mr. E. Gravier informed of main goals and directions of the LEICA project, including attraction of highly qualified specialists, experts to deliver trainings on counterterrorism and anti-extremism topics, organization of study tours for advanced training of officials involved in countering terrorism and extremism as well as plans for further productive cooperation under the European Union project.

In turn, CARICC Director briefed the interlocutor on prospects for enhancing bilateral cooperation and coordination, with consideration of CARICC and LEICA project capacities.

The two sides also indicated their readiness to work together within existing mandates and to collaborate actively and productively.

Meeting resulted in agreement to jointly organize training and workshops for law enforcement officers in the Central Asian region on combating terrorism financing via proceeds derived from drug trafficking.

CARICC Director meets Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Republic of Tajikistan

Mr. Rustam Miralizoda, CARICC Director, met with Mr. Muzaffar Huseinzoda, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, in Dushanbe on 15 January 2021.

During meeting CARICC Director informed about current situation in the Centre, prospects for enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation and joint collaboration through regional and international organizations.

The parties also discussed accession of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of Turkey to the Agreement on CARICC, the Centre work on review and coordination of draft agreement between CARICC Member States on exchange and protection of secret information and other challenges on cooperation of parties in combating illicit drug trafficking and development perspectives.

Working meeting between CARICC Director and Director of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan

On 14 January 2021 in Dushanbe, Major-General Rustam Miralizoda, CARICC Director, met with State Counselor 3rd Class Habibullo Vohidzoda, Director of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

During the meeting they discussed CARICC cooperation with national coordinating body of Tajikistan as well as the use of the Centre's capacity in assisting regional anti-drug collaboration. Director of the Agency presented information on drug situation in the Republic of Tajikistan.

The following topics were discussed during the conversation: accession of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of Turkey to the Agreement on establishment of CARICC, activities of the Centre to review and negotiate draft Agreement between CARICC Member States on exchange and protection of secret information, funding for further functioning of the Centre by Member States and other tasks facing the Centre on cooperation of the parties in combating illicit drug trafficking.

During his visit to the Republic of Tajikistan CARICC Director also met with Colonel-General R.H. Rahimzoda, Minister of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan.

CARICC take part in Paris Pact Initiative Expert Working Group online meeting

A Paris Pact Initiative Expert Working Group (EWG) meeting in support of Pillar IV of the Vienna Declaration: Investing in families for effective drug prevention and treatment was held on 15 and 16 December 2020.

The meeting was run in a hybrid format, with CARICC participating online as an observer. More than 70 participants representing 27 Paris Pact partner states and 7 partner organizations registered for the Paris Pact EWG meeting.

Mr. Andrés Finguerut, Chief of the Drug Prevention and Health Branch of the UNODC Division for Operations, and Mr. Riku Lehtovuori, Paris Pact Coordinator of the UNODC Division for Operations, delivered welcoming remarks.

Presentations and papers by Paris Pact partners on feasibility and needs to implement international standards of prevention of drug use and treatment of drug use disorders were then presented. Role of family in prevention and treatment of such disorders, prevention programmes aimed at teaching family skills, family therapy and providing services to families to support effective prevention in treatment of substance use disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic were also discussed.

The working group reviewed recommendations, conclusions and opinions on the topic of the meeting.

CARICC Director participates in Ninth Steering Committee Meeting of the UNODC Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries

Mr. Rustam Aziz Miralizoda, CARICC Director, participated and made a presentation at the Ninth Steering Committee Meeting of the UNODC Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries held via videoconference on 15 December 2020.

In his speech CARICC Director underlined that over the years of the Regional Programme implementation the Centre has become one of its main platforms for exchange of experience, expertise and research to combat transnational organized crime and briefed the meeting on the most significant aspects of CARICC efforts.

Mr. Jeremy Milsom, Senior Programme Coordinator, delegations from relevant national authorities of participating countries, coordinators of UNODC international programmes as well as representatives of donor countries and partners took part in the meeting.

During the session participants discussed plans for upcoming cycle of the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries for 2021-2025.

Online course “Preventing the spread of violent extremism in the prison context”

A webinar on “Dynamic security and prison intelligence: focus on violent extremist prisoners” for officers of operational and investigative units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan was hosted online from 10 to 12 December 2020.

CARICC employees also took part in this training.

The event was organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre. It was moderated by Mr. Batyr Saparbaev, UNODC Regional Expert for Central Asia, and Ms. Madina Sarieva, International Coordinator of the UNODC Programme Office in Kazakhstan.

The webinar was composed of six sessions in which experts and trainers delivered presentations and briefed on various aspects related to the topic. Specifically, they discussed international provisions on intelligence gathering, sharing and confidentiality along with key concepts of intelligence gathering and sharing, proposals to improve data sharing process, criminal procedure legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan on covert investigative actions, cooperation of penitentiary institutions and law enforcement agencies in managing violent extremist prisoners and dynamic security in prisons.

The training opened with a pre-test to preliminarily assess knowledge of the participants on the topic, and insight gained was evaluated at the end of the webinar.

Participants found the course to be highly relevant and conducive to improving professional level of law enforcement officers.

CARICC participation in resumed 63rd session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Resumed sixty-third session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs was held at the Vienna International Centre in a hybrid format on 2, 3 and 4 December 2020.

CARICC participated in meetings online as an observer.

On 2 December, CND considered the World Health Organization recommendations on cannabis and cannabis-related substances and voted on changes in the scope of control of these substances.

United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs adopted by a majority vote the WHO recommendation to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

Along with this recommendation, five other items on relaxation of control over derivatives of this plant were discussed, but none was adopted

On 3 and 4 December this year, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held joint meetings during their reconvened sessions to consider agendas items of both Commissions, with a view to providing integrated policy directives to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on administrative, budgetary and strategic management issues.

Ms. Ghada Waly, UNODC Executive Director, addressed the opening of joint meetings of UNODC Commissions and encouraged participants to exchange more proposals as part of their consideration of the UNODC Strategy 2021-2015 as well as draft Plan for 2021.

Moreover, during the event were considered preparation for the 14th UN Congress, on adoption of consolidated budget, improvement of UNODC management and financial situation, and also was presented a report on implementation of Plan for 2020.

Course on analytical tools use

An online training on “Use of Specialized Software for Information Processing and Analysis” for officers of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan was hosted from 1 to 4 December 2020 as part of Sub-programme 1 “Countering trafficking of Afghan opiates via the northern route by enhancing the capacity of key border crossing points (BCPs) and through the establishment of border liaison offices (BLOs)” of the UNODC Regional Programme for Central Asia.

During the training, border guards reviewed main capabilities of Microsoft Excel in data collection, arrangement and analysis.

This course was delivered by a staff member of CARICC Information and Analytical Unit and a research and liaison officer of the Paris Pact Initiative of the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia.