7 July 2026
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) concluded a technical training seminar in Moscow, hosted by the Government of the Russian Federation, for drug control officials from Armenia, Belarus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation and Tajikistan.
The training seminar is part of the global INCB Learning programme. The goal of the activity was to support the participating countries in improving monitoring and reporting, and in ensuring that controlled substances are available for medical purposes while at the same time preventing diversion into illicit channels, misuse or trafficking. It was funded by the Government of the Russian Federation.
Over four days, INCB Learning provided specialized training on the requirements of the three international drug control conventions relating to the regulatory control and monitoring of licit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals. A focus of the seminar was to improve the accuracy of estimates of narcotic drugs and assessments of psychotropic substances for licit requirements submitted to INCB. Throughout the capacity-building activities, participants discussed various topics, including regulatory requirements, barriers to access to controlled substances and the importance of national and international cooperation in ensuring the availability of internationally controlled substances. Participants also received hands-on training on the Board’s global online tools on precursors and were briefed on the forthcoming data platform Next Generation IDS, a system that is being completed to facilitate the submission of mandated data by Governments.
On 3 July, INCB Learning held an awareness-raising event on the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes. The event brought together participants from competent national authorities under the international drug control treaties and international organizations to discuss the importance of ensuring access to medicines containing substances under international control. The group visited a pharmaceutical manufacturing company and the Federal Research and Practical Center for Palliative Medical Care at Sechenov University in Moscow, a WHO Collaborative Centre for Training in Palliative Care.
Launched in 2016, INCB Learning is an initiative of the Board to assist Member States in implementing the provisions of the three international drug control conventions, as well as the recommendations of the 2016 General Assembly Special Session on the world drug problem and the Supplements on availability to the INCB Annual Reports for 2015 and 2018, which are available on the INCB website in all six official languages of the United Nations. INCB Learning addresses barriers to adequate availability of controlled substances, especially lack of training and awareness.
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