Azerbaijan has supported the draft resolution that was discussed and accepted at the UN General Assembly at the initiative of Uzbekistan, Report informs.
The concept of the resolution proposed by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during his speech at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021, "On the readiness of Central Asian countries to act as a united front and cooperate for the effective solution and elimination of drug-related problems" was brought up for discussion in the assembly.
Speaking in the discussions Narmin Ahangari, the first secretary of the permanent representation of Azerbaijan to the UN, noted that Azerbaijan welcomes the determination of the Central Asian countries to respond to the challenges related to drug addiction and to create a drug-free society, as well as to contribute to the effective solution of the drug problem in the world and the fight against it:
"Azerbaijan has friendly and constructive cooperation with all five countries of Central Asia. We have close relations in many fields, including transport, logistics, energy, agriculture, and tourism, and we attach great importance to the further expansion of our cooperation. Azerbaijan is the sponsor of this resolution. We believe that this resolution will develop regional cooperation in solving the drug problem in the world".
The draft resolution was jointly supported by more than 30 member countries, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Belarus, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Indonesia, Jordan, Morocco, the UAE, Oman, Pakistan and accepted.
The document states that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Central Asia is closely related to the fight against drug trafficking and drug addiction in the region. It is also required to take complex measures to combat the illegal circulation of drugs and their precursors and to prepare strategic initiatives and action plans.
The resolution also emphasizes the importance of expanding the support of the UN, international financial institutions, and other interested parties to Central Asian states in comprehensively solving drug-related problems.