The United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on June 4, spearheaded by Uzbekistan on the readiness of the countries of Central Asia to act as a united front and cooperate to effectively resolve and eliminate drug-related problems, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Uzbekistan.
The resolution garnered widespread support, with over 30 member countries co-sponsoring it, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Belarus, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Indonesia, Jordan, Morocco, UAE, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Senegal, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Japan, and others.
Drawing inspiration from the speech delivered by the President of Uzbekistan at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021, the resolution is grounded in the conceptual framework of Uzbekistan's National Strategy to combat drug trafficking and drug abuse for 2024-2028, a initiative spearheaded by the Head of State.
Acknowledging the integral connection between achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Central Asia and combating drug trafficking and abuse, the resolution highlights the positive transformations in the region spurred by Uzbekistan's new policy initiatives.
Emphasizing the need for comprehensive measures to combat illicit drug trafficking and precursor substances, the resolution calls for the development of strategic initiatives and action plans. Additionally, it stresses the importance of expanding support from the UN, international financial institutions, and other stakeholders to Central Asian states in addressing drug-related challenges comprehensively.
In the global ranking of drug consumption, Kazakhstan secured the 8th position, while Uzbekistan ranked 95th. Additionally, Kyrgyzstan held the 23rd spot, Turkmenistan the 41st, and Tajikistan the 76th. Afghanistan, known for producing 80% of the world's opium in 2022, ranked 170th.
Comments (0)