Awareness raising workshop on preventing terrorist travel

In response to the Taliban takeover in August 2021 and the potential spill over effects on Member States and regions, the international community is revaluating its border security measures. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with the support of the Government of Germany, has initiated a project on “Enhancing Border Management and Security in Response to Terrorism Threats in Central Asia”.  Effective border security serves as the primary defence against terrorist travel and to prevent illegal cross-border movement of goods and cargo.

On 19-20 September 2023, UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia organized a “Awareness raising workshop on preventing terrorist travel through the collection and analysis of information, including passenger data, biometrics and international databases”. This workshop was attended by practitioners from the ministries and agencies of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Opening the workshop, Mr. Martin Langer Counselor, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Tajikistan mentioned: “A vital component to prevent and counter transnational organized crime, terrorism, and illicit trafficking is enhanced cross-border cooperation. To increase the capacity of the relevant competent bodies to detect, prevent and investigate cross-border movement of terrorists is the main goal of two-day of the workshop.”

Ms. Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia in her video message, stated: “Central Asia is an important region, which continues to face significant security challenges, including due to its proximity to regions marked by terrorist activity, illicit drugs and arms trafficking, vulnerability to terrorist propaganda and recruitment, and risks associated with widespread reliance on alternative money remittances. Effective border security is the first line of defence against terrorist travel. Maintaining secure air, land and maritime borders is a challenge faced by all Member States.”

The training was an opportunity for participants to (i) Improve the capacity to collect, process, exploit and disseminate border security-relevant information from a variety of sources including, where relevant, biometrics and international databases, watchlists, passenger data (Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data), and other relevant instruments. (ii) Foster border security cooperation at the intra-agency, inter-agency, regional and international levels, including through cross-border investigations. (iii) Strengthen the capacity of beneficiary countries to detect, intercept and monitor individuals involved in terrorism-related activities in border areas.

The training was conducted within the framework of a project on “Enhancing Border Management and Security in Response to Terrorism Threats in Central Asia”.