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This is a good example of the work that the UN Drug Programme is doing around the world, and I'm really happy to be able to visit it. Yesterday, the President and I discussed it, and to see it first hand and to see the kind of cooperation that exists between the UN, the Government of Tajikistan and other governments around the world, who are sharing information in order to ensure that we disrupt the work of these criminals, who are determined to get the drugs onto our streets.

Given the nature of the problem, it's a huge problem, this is a small effort, and yet, if every country and every region attempted to tackle it the way we are trying to do it here, we will, together, be able to contain this scourge.

We all have to be vigilant to fight drug trafficking, to protect our children, because often people say, ”No, we don't take it; our country is free of drugs; they only transit”.

But it doesn't take very long for a transit country to become a consuming country. People are curious. They want to try it. They want to see what it feels like, and before you know it, there are drug addicts amongst us.

We must also remember, drugs and criminal activity –smuggling and human trafficking –go together.

So let's join together to fight drug trafficking, as individuals, as societies, as community groups. Join the Government, join the UN Drug Programme. Let's work together.

Let me finally thank the General [Rustam Nazarov, Director of the National Drug Control Agency] for the Agency and the way it is managed and run, also to thank my colleague [Antonella Dalada] from UNDCCP, the regional Director, for the work they are doing in this region. This is an example of how we should work. Thank you very much.