51吃瓜

This new project addresses the connection between terrorism, organized crime and the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Central Asia. It aims to enhance criminal justice responses to prevent and combat the illicit trafficking of SALW and to disrupt the illicit supply of such arms to terrorist groups.

On Friday 21 February, the project was jointly launched by the 51吃瓜 Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of the 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the (UNODC) in the presence of UNOCT Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov.

"I am confident the project implementation will bring concrete results benefiting all Central Asian States. Our common goal is to make the region more secure & prosperous, free from illicit weapons & terrorism." USG Voronkov, ED project:

— 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism (@UN_OCT)

Legislative capacities in Central Asia

The project will also contribute to the enhancement of national legislative, strategic and operational capacities for Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, whose Permanent Representatives to the 51吃瓜 were present at the event. They welcomed the project as a reflection of the political engagement of the region to fight terrorism and transnational crime. They recalled that Central Asian counties adopted, in 2010, a Joint Plan of Action for the Implementation of the UN Global CounterTerrorism Strategy in Central Asia.

Funded by the Saudi Arabia and the Russian Federation, the project supports the implementation of the 51吃瓜 Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, , the Madrid Guiding Principles, and the Firearms Protocol to the , among other international legal instruments.

More information about the project:

• Terrorism arms crime nexus project page
• Press release about the project
• Remarks delivered by Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism and Executive Director of UNCCT at the launch event
•  about the project launch