The Government of Japan allocated 267,000,000 Yens for strengthening border security between Tajikistan and Afghanistan

9 March 2016. Dushanbe. The Government of Japan provided 267,000,000 Japanese Yens (approx. 2,260,000 USD) to the project of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) aims at strengthening capacities of law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Tajikistan, responsible for border control between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, as well as enhancing the border security in the Khatlon region.  

The official ceremony of signing the Exchange Notes between the Embassy of Japan to the Republic of Tajikistan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime took place today at the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Tajikistan with participation of high level representatives of the Government of Tajikistan and UNODC.

Mr. Takashi Kamada, Charge d affaires a.i., of the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Tajikistan emphasized: "The importance of Tajikistan's role for the stability of Central Asia is evident, especially with the volatile situation in Afghanistan. The government of Japan has been supporting Tajikistan in border areas up until now".

General Mansurjon Umarov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan attended the ceremony and stressed that "UNODC has established close working relations with the Border Forces of Tajikistan and has provided assistance in capacity building, constructions, provided technical equipment and constructed training facilities since 2004." He concluded the speech by emphasizing "The Border Forces of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan has a particular attention to the international and regional support addressed to the border security and are open to enhance our positive cooperation".

The project will assist Border Troops of the State Committee of National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan in enhancing the level of expertise of officers at crossing and establishing working, intelligence-sharing and communications mechanisms between the agencies employed there, in  particularly at the area of Shaartuz Border Guard Force. This area of the border is considered as the most vulnerable in terms of drug trafficking.

Infrastructure and capacity of Shaartuz Border Guard Force will be significantly strengthened within the project. At least two border posts "Payvand" and "Hoshma" and border post "Tagnob", located along the "green" border on the Tajik-Afghan border will be constructed and equipped.