UNODC and BOMCA 10 organize a study visit for competent authorities of Central Asia to FRONTEX and Polish Border Guard

On 7-9 March 2023, UNODC Regional Project for Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation in Central Asia and the EU-funded "Border Management Programme in Central Asia, Phase 10" (BOMCA 10) organized a study visit to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency - FRONTEX (Warsaw, Poland) and the Polish Border Guard for 15 representatives of the border control authorities from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The study visit aimed to demonstrate to the Central Asian border agencies the best practices applied by FRONTEX in border security with a focus on information flow management, operational management based on data exchange in real-time, strategic, operational and tactical risk analysis, including assessment of vulnerability, and cooperation between competent agencies.

Ms. Aija Kalnaja, FRONTEX Deputy Executive Director, stated in her welcome speech that the European Border and Coast Guard Agency strives to build an open environment in the European Union (EU) and virtually with the Central Asian countries to allow smooth flow of legitimate trade and human capital and secure open and prosperous future for further generations through effective border protection mechanisms.

“The agency is looking particularly at major routes for irregular migration towards the EU and into the challenges of cross-border crime with a focus on risk analysis and identification of common threats that defines cooperation FRONTEX is seeking with the Central Asian countries,” she noted.

Brigadier General Grzegorz Niemiec, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Border Guard, noted that hosting this event in Poland was the best choice for acquiring a comprehensive understanding of how the EU is organized when dealing with integrated border management.

“Today, Poland is the frontline country, and our approach to border security has dramatically changed to tackle challenges such as the COVID-19 outbreak, Belarus migration crisis and war in Ukraine. Central Asia is important for us. There are plans to develop cooperation with Central Asian countries based on trust. We hope that the participants will apply the best practices and information shared during this visit in their work,” he said.  

During the visit, the participants were provided with an overview of the operations of the FRONTEX Situation Center and the Situation Centers of the Polish Border Guard at regional and local levels. The participants observed the implementation of the European Integrated Border Management by being acquainted with the practical "green" border surveillance for tackling the large-scale migration crisis on the border between Poland and Belarus.

The participants took an active part in the process of sharing the best practices and expertise in border security and integrated border management system. They enhanced their theoretical skills in risk analysis systems and vulnerability assessment and learned about state-of-art technologies in border control. The potential opportunities for cooperation with FRONTEX were discussed and identified. FRONTEX experts highlighted the need to work with countries outside the EU as part of the European Integrated Border Management.

The open and meaningful communication of the Polish Border Guard that was accompanied by practical visualization of both risks and solutions to them was highly appraised by the participants. The participants showed particular interest in vulnerability assessment and border control organization in real time, demonstrated by the Polish Border Guard.

BOMCA 10 and UNODC representatives highlighted that consolidated efforts and strengthening transborder communication would support the countries to respond to security threats effectively.

The parties agreed to consider, formulate and share the recommendations for further strengthening cooperation between FRONTEX, the Polish Border Guard and the competent border control agencies of Central Asia in the framework of the Japan-funded UNODC Project for Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation in Central Asia of Sub-programme 1 “Preventing and Countering Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking” of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2022-2025, and Component 1 “Institutional Development of Border Management Agencies” of BOMCA 10.

 

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Nurangez Abdulhamidova

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia

Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org