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 James Callahan, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Central Asia, paid an official visit to Azerbaijan on 20-23 April 2009 to discuss further cooperation with high level government officials in the field of drug trafficking as well as represent UNODC at the Conference of the Heads of Law Enforcement Agencies of the “Organization of the Islamic Conference” which took place in Baku on 21-22 April.
Azerbaijan, as an active member of some regional initiatives such as Memorandum of Understanding, Paris Pact, actively supported an establishment of Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC) as well as took part in other UNODC law enforcement projects such as .“Drug law enforcement systems for criminal intelligence collection, analysis and exchange”, “Assistance in Developing Controlled Delivery Techniques”, “Computer based drug law enforcement training in the countries of Central Asia, Caucasus and Afghanistan. Today CARICC is serving as a regional center for communication, analysis and exchange of operational information in “real time” on cross-border crime, including drug trafficking. It ’s achievements to date include serving as the regional focal point for operation “TARCET” on precursors and controlled delivery exercises. It efforts to foster cooperation and information sharing among the countries resulted, for instance, in seizure of 41 kg heroin in Azerbaijan and 28 kg of heroin in Turkmenistan in two different operations coordinated with Turkish authorities. Altogether, the operations initiated by the liaison officers and coordinated through CARICC have resulted in the dismantling of more than 10 drug trafficking groups, the arrest of several traffickers and the seizure of approximately 200 kg of heroin. The Centre is closely cooperating with international organisations such as Interpol, Europol, World Customs Organisation and others. CARICC beside Central Asia region and Azerbaijan aims at close cooperation with other countries of the wider region such as Afghanistan.
The UNODC opened a project office in Baku in 2007. The first UNODC - supported project implemented in Azerbaijan has been the regional project “Effective HIV prevention and care for vulnerable populations in Central Asia and Azerbaijan(2006-2009)” with total budget $4,000,000 funded by OPEC Fund, Ireland, Sweden, Italy and UNAIDS. The project aims at enabling the country to provide access of drug users and prisoners to comprehensive and effective HIV related services through addressing normative policy and programmatic aspects and capacity building needs. In the frame of the project UNODC provides technical assistance to Azerbaijan in updating national legislation thus removing legal barriers on the road towards the universal access to HIV related health care. The project has been facilitating introducing and scaling up of effective and comprehensive HIV preventive and curative interventions specifically tailored to suit the needs and fulfill the rights of drug users and prisoners.
During bilateral meetings with respective government officials several important issues were discussed including: priorities in drug related field for Azerbaijan and the UNODC assistance to law enforcement counterparts, further cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNODC, including cooperation in drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation as well as increase national legal capacity to effectively control drug abuse and trafficking by establishing appropriate legislative and administrative measures, becoming party to and fully implement the international drug control conventions.
UNODC projects in Azerbaijan |
