Training in Lao PDR on border management
Vientiane (Lao PDR), 4 December 2009 -The Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision (LCDC) organized, on 19 and 20 November 2009, two workshops for border officers with support provided through the UNODC project "
Consolidation and Enhancement of the Border Liaison Mechanism". A workshop on management and a workshop on evaluation and computer-based training were held at the Lane Xang Hotel in Vientiane. Both workshops formed part of a long-term plan to strengthen the presence and operations of border liaison offices in Lao PDR and cooperation with neighbouring countries. This is the second of four activities to be conducted in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam in the framework of a
Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Control in the Greater Mekong subregion.
The opening ceremony was chaired by Ounseng Vixay, Secretary-General of LCDC. In front of 43 representatives from 12 border liaison offices and LCDC, Mr. Ounseng thanked UNODC for the support provided and emphasized the need to have regular communication and joint activities in order to build a strong and efficient response to drug-related crimes.
"The situation of border liaison offices in Lao PDR is challenging," said Songsatit Kittikhunwatchana, UNODC Project Coordinator, "While there is potential and an ability to do better, progress has been slow. The problems faced in Laos are similar to those encountered within the region, namely weaknesses in areas of management, human and financial resources. With nearly 80 per cent of the border liaison officers being appointed this year, it is challenging to make sustainable progress when training requirements need to be re-assessed every year. The management workshop is the proof of such a flaw, since only one out of 12 participants has had prior experience with such activities."
This workshop was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the UNODC Computer-Based Training Unit in Bangkok, staff implementing the project entitled "Consolidation and Enhancement of the Border Liaison Mechanism" and the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision. Since 1997, the Computer-Based Training Unit in Bangkok has coordinated the implementation of training courses in over 52 countries delivered from over 300 training centres worldwide.
