ALMATY, Kazakhstan -

On 28-31 March, Mr. Petko Draganov, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), visited Almaty to participate and deliver the opening remarks at the UNRCCA regional seminar on “Recognizing and Responding to Radicalization that can Lead to Violent Extremism and Terrorism in Central Asia”. The workshop brought together official delegates from the Central Asian states and Afghanistan, as well as representatives of the diplomatic community, relevant international and regional organizations and the civil society.

On the margins of the event, the SRSG also met with the Director of CARICC Major-General Beishenbai Zhunusov, Executive Director of CAREC Mr. Iskandar Abdullaev, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Mr. Norimasa Shimomura and other members of the UN Country Team in Kazakhstan.

During the meetings the sides exchanged views on transboundary threats in Central Asia, including organized crime, drug trafficking, situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East, environmental degradation, water/energy issues, and the ways to address them. Prospects for the strengthening regional cooperation in a broad range of issues related to the implementation of UNRCCA activities were also discussed.