Vienna (Austria), 26 September 2022 – With the aim of strengthening cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), a Roadmap of Cooperation for 2022-2025 was signed by H.E. Mr. Armen Papikyan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations (Vienna), and Ms. Miwa Kato, UNODC Director for Operations.
During the signing ceremony, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia and UNODC Director for Operations exchanged views on existing and emerging challenges and threats related to drug problem, corruption and transnational organized crime and ways to address them.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Armenia’s Permanent Representative stressed that the Roadmap would provide a framework for cooperation between Armenia and UNODC to further strengthen Armenia’s achievements in addressing the challenges falling within the scope of the mandate of the Office.
The Director for Operations stressed that the signing of Roadmap was a significant milestone in the cooperation between Armenia and UNODC and that UNODC looked forward to further deepen its collaboration with Armenia in the areas of its mandate.
The Roadmap, which is aligned with the 2021-2025 UNODC Strategy and reflects the national priorities of the Republic of Armenia, is aimed at further enhancing cooperation and strengthening national capacities in preventing and countering organized crime; addressing and countering the drug problem; preventing and countering corruption and economic crime; preventing and countering terrorism; and crime prevention and criminal justice.
The Roadmap will serve to better inform the relevant counterparts on the 2021-2025 UNODC Strategy; identify and review country-specific priorities and assess joint capacity to come up with adequate response plans; enhance the visibility of the cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and UNODC; and serve as a reference point for cooperation and coordination with national authorities in UNODC-mandated areas.
A joint implementation review process will be established to regularly review, monitor, and report on the implementation of the Roadmap.
While previously UNODC was already engaging with the Government of Armenia in the framework of its Global Programmes, UNODC sees the Roadmap as an important mechanism for further expanded engagement with the Republic of Armenia to advance human development within the country and to work together to build a more prosperous, resilient, and sustainable society.
