Afghan and Tajik border officers learn best practices in securing borders at OSCE-supported course

First Aid Exercise. Dushanbe, 24 April 2014. (OSCE BMSC/ Farhodjon Nabiyulloev)

DUSHANBE, 24 April 2014 – Sixteen officers from border agencies of Afghanistan and Tajikistan completed today a Border Management Awareness Course supported by the OSCE and UNDP.

The ten-day course was organized by the OSCE Border Management Staff College in partnership with the UNDP-implemented and EU-funded Border Management Northern Afghanistan (BOMNAF) project.

The course focused on key operational components of an effective border management system, case studies and practical exercises. Among the topics discussed were the OSCE Border Security and Management Concept, border security threats and border models, risk management, principles of border control and modern technologies, ‘green’ border surveillance, leadership and management, responses to a mass casualty event, dealing with forged documents, conducting passenger assessment, and fighting corruption. Issues related to human rights, migration and refugees, as well as using Google Earth and digital mapping resources, were also covered.

“The course focuses on practical issues and promotes high standards for integrity and professionalism in border agencies,” said Henryk Raczkowski, the Director at the OSCE Border Management Staff College. “We trust that the knowledge about concrete examples and the methods to combat transnational organized crime and other emerging threats will help the course participants in their daily work.”

William Lawrence, UNDP’s Manager for the EU Border Management Northern Afghanistan project, congratulated the students on the conclusion of the course which, he said, would support cross-border security and co-operation with Afghanistan, by improving integrated border management on the Afghan frontier. He praised the dedication and hard work demonstrated by all the participants of the course, and stressed the commitment of the UNDP to working together with the OSCE in 2014 and beyond on providing cross-border training and liaison events.

This year the OSCE Border Management Staff College in partnership with the BOMNAF project will develop and conduct three more courses aiming to enhance the operational capacity and professional skills of the Afghan and Tajik border officers.