Tajikistan, UNODC: New Horizons of the Border Security Cooperation

On 2 May 2018, Ms. Ashita Mittal, the UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia met with Mr. Rajabali Rahmonali Colonel-General, Commander of the Border Forces of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan at the Central Apparatus in Dushanbe.

Given the current insecure developments in Afghanistan and weaknesses of control at the Afghan borders, it is important to ensure the international community support in capacity building of the border guards through trainings and infrastructure development at vulnerable stretches of the Tajik-Afghan border.

Given the current needs, the Border Forces have developed detailed projects covering seven areas related to support in engineering equipment, infrastructure development (construction of border outposts and crossing points, roads at vulnerable border stretches difficult to access), technical transport. The Border Commander shared the detailed projects with estimations related to additional support required for current needs of the Border Forces to strengthen control along the borderlines.

To follow up with implementation of the National Border Management Strategy adopted up to 2025, General Rahmonali informed that a survey on analysis of its five-year implementation has been conducted.

Talking about the recently reopened nine border crossing units across the borders with Uzbekistan in the light of agreements reached at the highest level, the Border Commander informed that 5000 people cross the Tajik-Uzbek borders daily. The reopened crossing units have not been used for the last 25 years, and require proper renovations/reconstructions and technical support, including supply of passport control system.

General Rahmonali thanked UNODC for the support being provided to the Border Forces of Tajikistan in strengthening the Tajik-Afghan border, which is extremely important to fight the threats that affect the national and regional security.

The UNODC Regional Representative expressed readiness of UNODC to be involved in new initiatives of the Border Forces in enhancing border management and cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries.

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For more information

Pleas contact Ms. Nargis Ismatova, National Project Officer

E-mail: nargis.ismatova[at]un.org

Tel.: 992 (44) 600-00-54