On 24-25 April 2023, Tajikistan chaired inter-departmental consultations at the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Tajikistan in Dushanbe. The discussion focused on the establishment of an SCO anti-drug centre as an independent permanent agency, in Dushanbe.
The meeting took place under the direction of the SCO Heads of State Council to streamline mechanisms for countering challenges and security risks passed on 17 September 2021 following an SCO summit, which, by the way, marked the organisation’s 20th anniversary.
The attendees included high-ranking representatives and experts from specialised ministries and agencies in the SCO member states (India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), as well as leaders of the SCO Secretariat. Representatives from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Belarus were invited to attend the meeting as observers.
The meeting participants held a detailed discussion of issues on implementing the initiative by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon on setting up the SCO anti-drug centre in Dushanbe.
Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Farkhod Salim opened the meeting and welcomed the participants.
The Acting National Coordinator of the Republic of Tajikistan for CIS Affairs, Ahmad Saidmurodzoda, presented Tajikistan’s approaches to setting up the anti-drug centre, as well as the main tasks and tables of organisation.
The agenda included a tour in the Gorno-Badakhshansky Autonomous Region of the Republic of Tajikistan that borders Afghanistan. While there, they were briefed on the efforts of Tajikistan’s law enforcement agencies to counter the drug trafficking threat.
The delegation members also visited the Drug Control Agency that reports to the president of Tajikistan, and met with the Agency’s Director Habibullo Vokhidzoda. They evaluated the agency’s performance in detail.
The participants signed a protocol following the consultations, which were held in a constructive atmosphere.