Changes in the INCB secretariat
Vienna, 2 July 2020 - Mr. Rossen Popov, Deputy Secretary of the International Narcotics Control Board and Chief of the Precursors Control Section entered retirement on 1 July 2020 after 26 years of service in the secretariat of the Board.
In those years Mr. Popov has made a lasting contribution to the international control of drugs and precursor chemicals.
A range of INCB regional and global initiatives and information exchange platforms were implemented and advanced under his leadership of the Precursors Control Section and have become indispensable instruments for national authorities to facilitate licit trade in precursors while preventing and addressing the trafficking of chemicals used for illicit manufacture of drugs. These include the Board's Pre-Export Notification system (PEN Online) and the Precursors Incident Communication system (PICS), followed by Projects Prism and Cohesion; and more recently Project Ion and the Project Ion Incident Communication System (IONICS) focusing on new psychoactive substances. In recent years and in order to address the illicit trade in non-medical synthetic opioids, including fentanyl-related substances, the Board's OPIOIDS and GRIDS programmes commenced operation and are helping countries to tackle this illicit trade and to save lives.
With his knowledge of drug control and with a keen eye on emerging trends in illicit drug markets, the Board recognizes Mr. Popov's use of new technologies and ways of work, and the development of effective partnerships with other organizations to address these new challenges.
The Board expresses its appreciation for the contributions of Mr. Popov to the work of the Board and wishes him an active, happy and healthy retirement.
Ms. Barbara Remberg will be officer-in-charge of the Precursors Control Section in the Board's secretariat until further notice.
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The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board is supported by a secretariat located for administrative purposes in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Its Secretary reports directly to the Board on substantive matters.