Expert meetings were held on 25-26 November 2020 to prepare for regular meeting of the Council of National Coordinators of Member States of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors, which was hosted on 27 November 2020 via videoconference.

The event was attended by representatives of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, CARICC as well as Ms. Ashita Mittal, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Central Asia, and Mr. Naweed Riaz, Head of UNODC Programme Office in the Republic of Kazakhstan,.

Meeting of the Council of National Coordinators of CARICC Member States discussed the most pressing issues of organization and further development of the Centre's activities.

Ms. Ashitta Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia, noted the need for the Parties to increase efforts to strengthen activities of CARICC in current realities, taking into account trends in the global situation.

The most important accents were put on prioritizing issues of funding the Centre in order to ensure its effective functioning.

In this context, CARICC Director and Head of the UNODC Programme Office provided information on financial sustainability of the Centre.

Members of the Council of National Coordinators of CARICC Member States invited Parties to work out the possibility of making voluntary contributions to the Centre's budget.

In their turn, CARICC and UNODC recommended to take measures to attract new partners and donors to the Centre, including in cooperation with competent authorities of CARICC Member States.

The event resulted in adoption of decision and minutes of the meeting.