Tajikistan-UN Cooperation in the field of countering illicit drug trafficking

The fight against illicit trafficking in narcotic substances is an important area of cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations. With the beginning of activities of the regional Office of the United Nations office on drugs and crime (UNODC) with its residence in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 1993, Tajikistan has been cooperating with the United Nations in the field of fight against illicit trafficking in narcotic substances and crime.

UNODC is the lead Agency for combating illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and crime in the world and it operates worldwide through a wide network of field offices. The activities of UNODC in Central Asia are aimed at strengthening the capacity of relevant law enforcement officials to combat illicit drug trafficking and crime, providing technical support, implementing and financing national programmes in this area as well as analyzing joint actions of Central Asian countries, strengthening and protecting the border in order to prevent the smuggling of narcotic drugs and new psychoactive drugs.

UNODC, in cooperation with development partners and other regional and international organizations, is implementing programmes and projects in all Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan. They are aimed at preventing and combating illicit trafficking in narcotic and new psychoactive substances, their precursors, transnational organized crime, terrorism and extremism, trafficking in human beings, treatment of drug dependence, provision of prisoners with favorable conditions in correctional institutions, control over the transport of containers, border protection, capacity-building of relevant Tajik personnel and provision of technical assistance to law enforcement agencies.   

The organization implements a number of programs and projects in the Republic of Tajikistan, including the project “Strengthening of control along the border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan”, the project “Drug control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan – phase II”, the Regional program for Central Asia (2015-2019, 2022-2025), the Regional program for Afghanistan and neighboring countries, the UNODC world program and the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) program of container traffic control and etc.  

Representatives of the country actively participate in various activities of the organization, including meetings of working groups, seminars, trainings and operations. One of the events organized annually by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Agency for drug control under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and UNODC is the presentation of the annual review on drug situation in the country. The head of the UNODC Program Office in the Republic of Tajikistan is Mr. Mustafa Erten.