DUSHANBE, May 5, 2015, Asia-Plus – A Tajik delegation comprising Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov, drug control chief Rustam Nazarzoda, Deputy Minister of Justice Sh. Nodiri and Head Physician of the Republican Narcotics Dispensary Muslihiddin Malakhov is participating in the 9th Meeting of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sub-regional Drug Control Cooperation that is concluding in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, today.

According to the Drug Control Agency under the President of Tajikistan (DCA), a two-day meeting has brought together representatives from counternarcotics agencies of Central Asia’s nations, Azerbaijan and Russia as well as senior representatives of a number of relevant international organizations, observer countries and donors of CARICC (Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors).

The meeting participants have reportedly discussed issues related to the current drug situation in the region and the new program for Central Asia 2015-2019.

The program was developed in close collaboration and consultations with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) which are the Member States of the MOU.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sub-regional Drug Control Cooperation was signed by the governments of five Central Asian countries and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in May 1996.  The Russian Federation and AKDN joined the MoU in 1998 and Azerbaijan joined it in 2001.