On April 20, 2026, in Samarkand, the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Nurlan Yermekbayev, took part in the International Forum "Countering Transnational Drug Threats to Public Health and Safety."
The event was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). It was attended by more than 500 delegates from 30 countries, as well as from international organizations, including WHO, the World Customs Organization, the OSCE, CARICC, and others.
In his address at the plenary session Nurlan Yermekbayev noted that the SCO considers cooperation in countering illicit drug trafficking as one of its priorities.
The Secretary-General informed the participants about the work of relevant SCO mechanisms and the policy documents adopted in this area. In this context, he mentioned the important role of the specialized permanent body being established — the SCO Anti-Drug Center — whose tasks include formulating proposals and implementing practical measures to develop anti-drug cooperation among member states.
Nurlan Yermekbayev spoke about the three‑level cooperation mechanism of anti‑drug agencies currently operating within the SCO, as well as about joint activities with the UNODC, held annually on the margins of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
He emphasized the relevance of the problem of illicit production of synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances. He noted the importance of paying special attention to the risks and consequences of drug addiction including among women, youth, and other vulnerable groups, and of concentrating efforts on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration.
Following the plenary session the Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, awarded Nurlan Yermekbayev, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director of the Division for Operations at UNODC, Bo Mathiasen, and other representatives of international organizations with the breast badge "Devoted to the Fight Against Drugs."