On October 26, 2022 in Almaty, the CARICC delegation headed by the Acting Director Mr. Yazlyev A.O. took part in the meeting of the Steering Committee of the Program of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime for the countries of Central Asia for 2022-2025.

This meeting was organized by the Regional Office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Central Asia with the assistance of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The main purpose of the event was to discuss the main achievements of the UNODC Program for Central Asia in 2021-2022, as well as agree on the Work Plan for 2023 under the Program.

The event was attended by heads and employees of prosecution authorities, border agencies, customs services, ministries of internal and foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, international partners, donors, as well as experts from the UNODC Program Offices in Central Asia and CARICC.

Welcoming remarks were made by the UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia, Ms. Ashita Mittal, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Kairat Umarov, and the UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan, Ms. Michaela Friberg-Storey.

The experts of the UNODC Program Offices in Central Asia presented the project Action Plans for 2023 for the implementation of the five components of the UNODC Program for the countries of Central Asia for 2022-2025.

In addition, the participants and heads of delegations presented presentations and reports on the main areas of cooperation with UNODC, in particular, the provision of advisory and logistical assistance, including the organization of training seminars and training sessions for employees of the competent authorities in the region, as well as a number of proposals for consideration and their possible inclusion in the draft UNODC 2023 Action Plan.

The participants emphasized the importance of interaction through the expansion of international cooperation, the exchange of positive experience and the further development of relations in the field of combating transnational organized crime.