4.13 Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan Illicit Drugs and Chemical Precursors On 24 and 25 April, the PCUz organized a workshop in Tashkent for 18 representatives of the Drug Abuse Prevention Centres representing both medical staff and social workers. The participants increased their knowledge on the potential role of social workers in prophylactics of drug addicts based on national and international experiences, forms of social rehabilitation and support, preventive measures and individual plans for drug addicts as well as recent national regulations and reform processes for Drug Abuse Preventions Centres to respond to current realities. The workshop was implemented within the framework of the PCUz project “Assistance to the Fight against Illicit Drug Circulation and Expansion”. On 23 June, on the eve of the “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking Observance”, the PCUz participated in a drug burning ceremony organized in Tashkent by the National Information-Analytical Center on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers (NCDC). Over 3.5 tonnes of drugs were destroyed. The event was also attended by representatives of embassies, international organizations, governmental bodies, law enforcement agencies and mass media. Additionally, in order to promote healthy and drugfree lifestyles among youth, the PCUz supported the NCDC in procuring t-shirts with the message “Say No to Drugs”. The t-shirts were disseminated among young people participating in a national campaign for the International Day against Drug Abuse. The campaign was carried out country-wide with regional administrations sponsoring a number of events involving both the public and civil society organizations. The PCUz’s assistance was organized in the framework of the project on “Providing Assistance to the Fight against Illicit Drug Circulation and Expansion”. On 10 and 11 July, the PCUz supported the participation of the Director of the NCDC in the OSCE-wide Anti-Drug Conference in Vienna, titled “Nexus between Illicit Drugs, Organized Crime and Terrorism”. On 2 and 3 November, the PCUz organized a workshop in Gulistan for 42 representatives of law enforcement agencies, medical staff, and regional administration officials of the Jizzak and Syrdarya provinces. The participants discussed national regulations and preventive measures in the fight against illicit trafficking of drugs and chemical precursors. Special attention was given to the prevention of drug abuse among young people and detection of drug dealers and traffickers. On 13 and 14 November, the PCUz jointly with TNTD/SPMU organized a regional workshop in Tashkent in countering illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs for representatives of law 134 enforcement agencies. The event brought together more than 50 experts from ministries and law enforcement agencies from France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The participants discussed ways to improve inter-agency co-operation among law enforcement, coordination and information sharing at regional and national level, and other issues. On 14 and 15 December, the PCUz, jointly with the NCDC under the Cabinet of Ministers, organized a seminar in Tashkent for 15 experts from all provinces in charge of implementing a country-wide programme on fighting illicit drug circulation. The participants discussed national regulations and preventive measures supporting the fight against illicit trafficking of drugs and chemical precursors. Border Security and Management / Customs On 29 and 30 November, the PCUz facilitated the participation of a delegation from Uzbekistan comprising of two representatives from the State Border Protection Committee of the National Security Service and the Cabinet of Ministers in a seminar on delimitation and demarcation practices in the OSCE area, organized in Minsk by TNTD/BSMU. Some 30 officials and experts from 13 participating States discussed past and ongoing border demarcation and delimitation processes and exchanged lessons learnt and good practices in this field. The participants also had an opportunity to visit the border between Lithuania and Belarus. The participation of the Uzbek delegation was organized under “Strengthening regional co-operation” component of the PCUz project “Providing Support to the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Fight against Terrorism”. Other On 6 and 7 September, the PCUz convened a workshop in Tashkent jointly with the French Embassy in Uzbekistan and the French National School for the Judiciary for the High Training Courses under the General Prosecutor’s Office. The training was conducted in the framework of the project “Supporting capacity-building of the General Prosecutor’s office” and aimed at enhancing the quality of professional training for the prosecutors. The participants included teachers and peer educators from different educational establishments for prosecutors and judges. The event was led by specialists from the Bordeaux National School of the Judiciary and covered e-learning methodologies for prosecutors and the major features of in-service training for legal professionals in France.