The project on establishment of CARICC was launched by UNODC in late 2004 and the decision was taken to break project into phases. This decision was based on the need to introduce step-by-step implementation of the activities of the project and due to limited donor funding at that time.
Consequently, during the first phase of the project, the regional expert group – Project Team comprised of one representative from each participating State has been established. It addressed the issues related to the development of the institutional documents.
International group of experts carried out evaluation mission in order to identify and propose best option for the location of the Centre – by that time five countries – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan had offered to host the Centre.  
In February 2006, Tashkent, Uzbekistan at Ministerial meeting of the members of the Memorandum of Understating on sub-regional drug control cooperation the institutional documents of CARICC were endorsed and recommended to be signed by the heads of the member states and Almaty, Kazakhstan was agreed as allocation of the Centre.
The second phase of the project initiated selection and recruitment process of essential staff to be seconded by each participating country to the Centre, provision of equipment together with other logistical and expert advice.  
Successful implementation of initial two phases of the project led to endorsement of CARICC Agreements, which was then signed by the heads of the states. Ratification of the CARICC Agreement was initiated. On November 1, 2007 the Centre started its limited operations within “pilot phase” pending CARICC Agreement entering into force. 
After finalisation of the preparatory phases of the project there is a need for full scale project implementation, as it was envisaged in the initial project document, aimed at supporting CARICC activities, providing training to the staff of the Centre and liaison officers, supporting its operations and capacity building efforts, as well as promoting cooperation of the Centre both with national authorities and at the regional and international levels. It is also important to ensure financial support to the Centre before the member countries would be in a position to gradually take over this function.
Due to success of activities within two phases of the project additional donor support was provided, which exceeded the initial budget of the project.  
Therefore the project was revised increasing the project budget and extending the project duration until December 2011 to secure support to the Centre for the initial years of its operations.