DUSHANBE, 26.04.2023 (NIAT Khovar) – From April 24 through April 25, Tajikistan hosted the interdepartmental consultations were held on the establishment of the Anti-Drug Center of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe as a separate permanent body.

The event was organized in accordance with the Decision of the Council of the Heads of State of the SCO Member States “On improving the mechanisms for countering security challenges and threats,” adopted on September 17, 2021 following the 20th anniversary summit of the Organization in Tajikistan.

The consultations were attended by high-ranking representatives and experts from relevant ministries and departments of the SCO member states, including India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as the leadership of the Secretariat of the Organization. Representatives of Iran and Belarus were invited to the event as observers.

The participants of the consultations substantively considered the implementation of the initiative of the President Emomali Rahmon on the establishment of the SCO Anti-Drug Center in Dushanbe.

The presentation of the acting National Coordinator of Tajikistan for SCO Affairs Ahmad Saidmurodzoda on the approaches of the Tajik side to the possible modalities of establishing the Anti-Drug Center, its main tasks and organizational and staff structure.

In accordance with the program of consultations, its participants visited the districts of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan bordering Afghanistan, where they were provided with information on the steps taken by the competent authorities of Tajikistan to counter the drug threat.

The delegations also visited the Drug Control Agency, where they met with the director of the Agency Habibullo Vohidzoda, and got acquainted in detail with the effective activities of this agency.