Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan supports strengthening cooperation in the fight against illicit drugs in Central Asia

Nur-Sultan, November 13, 2020 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev received the newly appointed Director of Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), Rustam Aziz Miralizoda. During the talks, the parties discussed topical issues of the Center's activities and interaction of the participating states in countering the drug threat in the region.

Yerzhan Ashikbayev emphasized that the CARICC was created at the initiative of the First President of Kazakhstan – Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev in Almaty and plays a unique role in information support and coordination of anti-drug activities of law enforcement agencies of the participating states. "Kazakhstan supports the effective work of the Center and welcomes the progress achieved in strengthening its legal framework and the growing interest in developing cooperation with the Center from international partners," he said.

The Director of CARICC thanked Kazakhstan for the consistent support of the Center's activities and informed about the preparations for the next meeting of the Council of National Coordinators of CARICC, which is scheduled for the end of November 2020. The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan and the Programme Office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Kazakhstan.

CARICC is an international organization with its headquarters in Almaty, established in 2009 with the active assistance of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The participating states include Kazakhstan and other Central Asian States, Azerbaijan and Russia. More than 15 states and international organizations have an observer status at CARICC. The main purpose of the Center is to coordinate the efforts of the competent authorities of the participating states in countering transnational drug crimes.