Kazakhstan's Forensic Examinations Center joins Asian Forensic Sciences Network

During its Board Meeting on the 28 ^th of February 2019, Asian Forensic Sciences Network accepted Kazakhstan Ministry of Justice Forensic Examinations Center to its membership. The Network currently unites more than 50 forensic laboratories and organizations from over 16 countries and territories across Asia, including China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Member organizations exchange expertise and best practice though a number of working groups and committees, addressing latest developments in areas such as DNA, toxicology, drugs, digital forensics and quality assurance and standards.

Dr Angeline YAP TiongWhei, Assistant Group Director of Forensic Science, Health Sciences Authority of Singapore, who is member of the Asian Forensic Sciences Network Board in charge of international liaison, commented "I am very happy to welcome Kazakhstan to the big family of AFSN and sincerely hope that we will be able to work closely with each other."

"We are very pleased to be able to join Asian Forensic Sciences Network, especially now when Kazakhstan"s Ministry of Justice is spearheading reforms of its forensic services," said YuryBikbaev, Project Leader, Strengthening Forensic Capacity project. "We hope that experts from the Ministry"s Forensic Examinations Center, as well as practitioners and policy makers from the country"s justice sector, would be able to benefit from engaging and exchanging ideas with their colleagues from across the Network," added Bikbaev. The Strengthening Forensic Capacity project supported the membership application and is part of a wider collaboration between the Ministry of Justice and the World Bank titled "Justice Sector Institutional Strengthening Project."