OSCE Border Management Staff College, UNODC regional workshop in Dushanbe focuses on international and regional co-operation to combat cybercrime

Government representatives of Afghanistan, Iran and Kazakhstan in the 3rd Regional Workshop on International and Regional Cooperation to Combat Cybercrime, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 18 August 2015. (OSCE/Ozoda Nurmatova)

DUSHANBE, 19 August 2015 – The need for comprehensive domestic legislation and other best practices on international and regional co-operation in combatting cybercrime were the focus of a third regional two-day workshop, which concluded today at the premises of the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe. The event was co-organized by the College and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Twenty government representatives from Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan discussed how comprehensive domestic legislation can work to combat the use of new technologies for illicit financial flows. They also shared best practices in promoting international and regional co-operation as well as supporting the existing working groups with the aim of improving regional co-operation to counter cybercrime.

“The threat of cybercrime has grown worldwide. This relatively new phenomenon is a consequence of the information age, when individuals in different parts of the world can be anonymous and can network in cyberspace,” said Dita Nowicka, Director of the OSCE Border Management Staff College. “The complexity of the nature and forms of cybercrime require joint international co-operation to overcome this global challenge.”

Experts from Romania, Russia, the United Kingdom and the UNODC highlighted the challenges and priorities of participants’ countries on combatting cybercrime.

Jeremy Milsom, UNODC Senior Programme Coordinator, said: “Information and communication technology is evolving rapidly. While this is bringing many great benefits -improving communication, education and access to banking services to name just a few, the technology and the internet is being misused by organized crime groups for illicit activities including money laundering and drug trafficking. Addressing this requires well-coordinated regional and international responses, effective policing techniques and appropriate harmonized legislation.”