UNODC and Partners opened Operational Management Sector in Kyrgyzstan to tackle transnational organized crime, smuggling illicit drugs and extremism inflows

On 20 April 2023, UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia, in partnership with the Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic and other law enforcement agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic inaugurated the Operational Management Sector of the Border Liaison Offices (BLO) Coordination Centre of Border Service based on the military unit 2024 in Osh city, Kyrgyzstan.

The official opening ceremony attended by Colonel Maralbaev Marat Melisbekovich, First Deputy Director of the Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Mr. Hideki Goda, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kyrgyz Republic, Ms. Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia and other law enforcement agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic.

“The Kyrgyz Republic highly appreciates the contribution of UNODC to strengthen the capacity of Kyrgyzstan in the fight against organized crime, terrorism and drug trafficking. Thanks to our joint work, the Kyrgyz Republic is expanding its capabilities to ensure border security and counter transnational threats, including strengthening relations with the border agencies of neighboring countries”, said Mr. Marat Maralbaev, first deputy director of the Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Operational Management Sector

In order to further enhance the work and communication of BLOs in Kyrgyzstan and BLO Coordination Center in Bishkek, UNODC supported the request of the Border Service of Kyrgyzstan in 2021 to establish a BLO Operational Management Sector.

The role of the Operational Management Sector is to strengthen national and regional security, by serving as a platform for coordination and cooperation in Kyrgyzstan. UNODC jointly with the Government of Japan spent over 47, 000 US Dollars for the refurbishment, equipment and office furniture of the Sector. It will allow to develop information and communication networks between BLO Coordination Center established in Bishkek in 2017, its Operational Management Sector in Osh and 5 BLOs.

“Japan shares with Central Asian countries the basic value of free and international order based on the rule of law, respecting the United Nations Charter. The Government of Japan has supported for years the international community’s efforts, particularly through UNODC, to combat illicit drug trafficking and transnational organised crime. […] The Government of Japan hopes that the Operational Management Sector will contribute to Central Asia’s stability, by bringing improved intelligence gathering and analytical capacity”, said H.E. Mr. Hideki Goda, Ambassador of the Japan to Kyrgyzstan.

According to Mrs. Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative of the UNODC for Central Asia: “Fostering greater cross-border and interagency cooperation is the only way forward for achieving our shared vision to build a more inclusive and fairer future, to make the region safer from drugs and crime, as well as healthy for the benefit of future generations to come”.

UNODC support

UNODC jointly with the Government of Japan opened five BLOs in total and the BLO Coordination Center in Bishkek.

For instance, the last BLO was established at BCP Kaindy less than a year ago and the Opening Ceremony was held with participation of the representatives of Japanese Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic and the national counterparts in Kaindy on 7 July 2022. It was the first BLO established on a railway station on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border which plays a key role in the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic as the only railway checkpoint in the Chui region used for the international transportation of passengers and goods with Kazakhstan.

To date UNODC has established 19 Border Liaison Offices in the Central Asia to counter trafficking, while facilitating licit trade. With the use of the new grant agreement for $4.1 million, signed between the Government of Japan and UNODC on 17 February 2022 in Tashkent, UNODC will further support the operational BLOs on selected BCPs in Central Asia. In particular, it is planned to enhance the capacity of two border crossing points in Kyrgyzstan such as BCP “Madaniyat” on Kyrgyz-Uzbek border and BCP “Bor-Dobo” on Kyrgyz-Tadjik border.

The Operational Management Sector, BLOs and Coordination Center were established within the Cross-Border Cooperation Project of Sub-programme 1 " Preventing and Countering Transnational Organised Crime " of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2022-2025. The beneficiaries of this initiative to establish BLOs in Central Asia, funded by the Government of Japan, include the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Border Troops, Customs and Drug Control Agencies of each participating country.

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For more information, contact Vasilina Brazhko

Communication and PR Specialist

UNODC ROCA

+996775987817 WhatsApp

vasilina.brazhko{at}un.org