For information only - not an official document
UNIS/NAR/1394
2 December 2019
MOSCOW/VIENNA, 2 December (UN Information Service) - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) today launched a regional training seminar in Moscow, hosted by the government of the Russian Federation, for 38 drug control officials from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The seminar was opened by Alexey Rogov, Deputy Director of the Department on New Challenges and Threats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Saltanat Yegeubayeva, Medical Officer on HIV/AIDS, TB and viral hepatitis of the WHO Office in the Russian Federation.
This training seminar is the ninth regional training seminar of the global INCB Learning project. The goal is to support the participating countries in improving monitoring and reporting related to the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals, and in ensuring that controlled substances are available for medical purposes while at the same time preventing diversion into illicit channels, abuse or trafficking.
Over three days, INCB Learning will provide specialized training on the requirements of the three international drug control conventions relating to the regulatory control and monitoring of licit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals. Participants will also receive hands-on training on the Board's global online tools: the International Import Export Authorisation System (I2ES), the Pre-export Notification (PEN) Online System, the Precursors Incident Communication System (PICS) and the Project Ion Incident Communication System (IONICS). These systems are made available free of charge to Member States.
On 5 December, following the seminar, INCB Learning will hold an awareness-raising workshop on the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes. The event is co-organized with and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign of the Russian Federation and will bring together participants from national authorities, international organizations and civil society to discuss the importance of ensuring access to medicines containing internationally controlled substances.
Launched in 2016, INCB Learning is an initiative of the Board to assist Member States in implementing the provisions of the three international drug control conventions, as well as the recommendations of the 2016 General Assembly Special Session on the world drug problem and the Supplements on availability to the INCB Annual Reports for 2015 and 2018, which are available on the INCB website in all six official languages of the United Nations. INCB Learning addresses barriers to adequate availability of controlled substances, especially lack of training and awareness.
Staff of competent national authorities of Member States are invited to take advantage of the INCB e-learning modules. The modules are designed to assist governments in building capacity and institutional knowledge. Available free-of-charge and upon request at incb.learning@un.org, the modules help national authorities to adequately estimate and assess needs for internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes.
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For further information, please contact:
INCB Secretariat
Telephone for media inquiries: (+43-1) 26060 4163
Email: incb.secretariat[at]un.org
Website: www.incb.org
