Federal drug enforcement responsibilities have been elevated to a higher level within the government.
In a bid to strengthen preventive measures against drug use and combat drug-related crimes, Kazakhstan has established a national anti-drug headquarters. The initiative comes as a directive from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, following a Security Council meeting focused on the issue.
The national headquarters, led by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, will coordinate the activities of various state agencies against drug addiction and drug trafficking. It will be composed of representatives from the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Committee for National Security, the Financial Monitoring Agency, the National Bank, the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market, and several relevant ministries.
The roles and responsibilities of the national headquarters include coordinating activities, developing effective approaches for preventive measures, enhancing systems for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of drug addicts, and uniting efforts of government bodies to improve anti-drug initiatives comprehensively. The main task is to implement a complex of preventive measures.
In addition to the national headquarters, regional headquarters will be established in all regions, including the major cities of Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent. These regional headquarters will function under the national headquarters, coordinating drug addiction prevention and combat efforts at a local level. Each regional headquarters will be responsible for implementing the complex of preventive measures, tailored to the specific needs of each region.
The regional headquarters will contribute to the coordination of activities and the development of effective approaches in their respective regions. They are expected to work on improving the system of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for drug-dependent individuals at a local level, expanding the reach and effectiveness of the national strategy against drug addiction and drug trafficking.
The deputy heads of the national headquarters will be the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs. Each regional headquarters will have heads of several relevant ministries as members, similar to the national headquarters.
This comprehensive approach to combat drug addiction and drug trafficking in the country is a significant step towards ensuring a safer and healthier future for the citizens of Kazakhstan. The establishment of regional headquarters is a testament to the government's commitment to addressing this critical issue at a local level, in collaboration with various state bodies.
The national headquarters, established under the leadership of Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, will coordinate activities related to policy-and-legislation, crime-and-justice, general-news, and politics, as it aims to combat drug addiction and drug trafficking in Kazakhstan. Each regional headquarters, including those in Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent, will contribute to this effort by implementing customized preventive measures and improving the local system of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for drug-dependent individuals.
