The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will host the Second Conference on Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under the theme “Kurdistan Region: Towards a Future Free of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substance”. The event, held within the framework of the Universal Periodic Review process, will take place on Sunday, February 15.

The conference is organized by the KRG Council of Ministers, under the auspices of the Office of the Coordinator for International Advocacy, with support from the KRG High Committee for Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, and sponsorship by the International Organization for Human Rights and Refugee Affairs.

The day-long event will bring together government officials, international organizations, civil society representatives, and experts to strengthen efforts to combat narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the region.

In preparation for the conference, on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Dindar Zebari, Coordinator of International Advocacy, convened a roundtable meeting with Saman Barzinji, KRG Minister of Health and Chair of the Commission for the Control of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, to review key issues concerning the prevention of narcotics and psychotropic substances and the implementation of international control measures.

The discussions focused on the strategic role of the Office Coordinator for International Advocacy in supporting the mandate of the Commission for the Control of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, as well as the sponsorship of the international organization’s second specialized conference addressing human rights in the context of narcotics and psychotropic substances. Also on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Zebari received Miroslav Prlevic, Crime Prevention Expert at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, accompanied by his delegation.

The meeting provided an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of views on a range of shared priorities, including efforts to counter narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, address trafficking in persons and cases of enforced disappearance, respond to cybercrime, and further align domestic policies with relevant international norms and standards.