According to Regulations on Service in the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), all CARICC staff members are selected for work on a competitive basis and appointed to their positions only after being reviewed by the Selection Panel. (Section II, Chapter 1, Article 5)

Selection of employees for CARICC is aimed at providing it with highly qualified personnel with high professional level, efficiency and reliability, as well as with the highest standards of morality and ethics.

Moreover, the principle of equal representation of citizens of CARICC Member States is taken into account when selecting employees, along with consideration of personal qualifications and professional skills. (Section II, Chapter 3, Article 22)

As a rule, when announcing a vacancy for a position, several most promising candidates are selected from a multitude of applications submitted for consideration and invited to an interview to the Selection Panel and then are to be tested using special equipment (psychophysiological study).

However, due to restrictions associated with the pandemic of COVID-19 coronavirus infection this year, candidates could not arrive in the Republic of Kazakhstan to undergo a competitive selection process. Therefore, in agreement with the Head of the UNODC Programme Office in the Republic of Kazakhstan, CARICC Director and members of the Selection Panel decided to organize a selection via videoconference.

Lists of candidates were generated based solely on their professional suitability, achievements and merits. In total, 13 vacancies were reviewed, including 2 vacancies for heads of units of the Centre.

It should be noted that this event was well organized. This is a completely new format, but despite this, there were no failures in competitive selection. In accordance with developed schedule, members of the Selection Panel conducted interviews with candidates during three weeks in October. At the end of October all candidates for vacant positions were determined. Composition of officials is represented by maximum possible number of CARICC Member States - employees of competent authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

It is expected that new staff members will assume their duties from the beginning of 2021, after sending relevant NVs from CARICC and following approval by authorities of the countries sending their representatives to CARICC.

Initial contract with selected employees is signed for two years with a six-month trial period. Subsequently, the contract may be extended by CARICC Director in agreement with the sending country for one year, but not more than twice in a row (taking into account initial contract, the total period of service is not more than four years).

We are hopeful that a new page in the history of the Centre will be full of exciting prospects, work will be fruitful, and all planned actions will be implemented.