Efforts to combat illicit arms trafficking in Central Asia discussed in Vienna

Vienna, December 17-18, 2024 - Delegation from Kazakhstan participated in a United Nations expert meeting on combating illicit trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Central Asia and Pakistan.

The event, organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), allowed representatives of law enforcement and judicial authorities from Central Asian countries to exchange practical experience and knowledge in the field of criminal justice, as well as to discuss further effective approaches to combating illicit trafficking and strengthening international cooperation.

Kazakhstan was represented at the meeting by Abay Rakhmetulin, High Court Judge, Vitaly Shaber, Head of the Department at the General Prosecutor's Office, and Zhanna Issetova, Senior Lecturer at the Karaganda Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

During the discussion, experts from Kazakhstan shared national experiences in combating arms-related crime, stressed the importance of creating effective regional mechanisms for monitoring and controlling arms trafficking, and made a number of suggestions for strengthening international cooperation in this area, including through UNODC projects.