MANILA, March 2 (UNODC) - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Asian Development Bank have agreed to extend their cooperation in areas such as fighting illicit drugs, money-laundering and corruption.
ADB is a major development institution in the Asia and Pacific region which seeks to foster economic growth, good governance, human resource development, and the alleviation of poverty. UNODC has a mandate to promote and implement international agreements on drugs, transnational crime and corruption in the context of sustainable development and human security.
UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa and ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda signed a Letter of Intent in Manila on 27 February in which they agreed to work together with their partner countries in areas such as education on drug abuse, illicit crop monitoring and border controls.
Specific areas for cooperation could include alternative development projects in Afghanistan and Laos - designed to give former opium farmers new sources of income - regional border management projects in Central Asia and combating the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially among drug users and prisoners.
"Together our two organisations can help the countries of Asia develop the sound policies and programmes necessary to ensure sustainable development and combat crime," Mr Costa said. "Strengthening the rule of law and good governance will be critical."
UNODC and ADB already work together on alternative development in Laos and in anti-money laundering activities in Vietnam.
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For further information, please contact:
Richard Murphy
Chief, Advocacy Section
Telephone: +43 1 26060 5761
E-mail: richard.murphy@unodc.org
