On 7 - 9 March 2023, UNODC Regional Project on 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.
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.
Aija Kalnaja, FRONTEX Deputy Executive Director, emphasized the agency’s commitment to building an open environment in the EU and with Central Asian countries. She highlighted the goal of facilitating legitimate trade and human capital flows while securing a prosperous future through effective border protection mechanisms. “We are particularly focusing on major routes for irregular migration towards the EU and on the challenges of cross-border crime,” she stated. “FRONTEX seeks cooperation with Central Asian countries through risk analysis and identification of common threats, which are crucial for achieving our shared goals.”
During the presentations, FRONTEX experts highlighted the need to work with countries outside the EU as part of the European Integrated Border Management.
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.
“Poland, as a frontline country, has dramatically adapted its border security approach to address challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the Belarus migration crisis, and the war in Ukraine. Central Asia is crucial for us, and we are developing trust-based cooperation with these countries. We hope the participants will apply the best practices and information gained during this visit to their work,” he said.
The participants took part in the active 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.
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.
BOMCA10 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 and law enforcement agencies of Central Asia within the framework of the Japan-funded UNODC Regional Project on Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation in Central Asia of Sub-programme 1 Preventing and Countering Transnational Organized Crime 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
