New Border Liaison Offices opened at the Kyrgyz-Tajik Border Crossing Points "Bor-Dobo" and "Kizyl-art"

New Border Liaison Offices (BLOs) were opened at the strategic border crossing point "Bor-Dobo" and "Kizyl-Art", at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, which are both located in a mountainous area at an altitude of 3,600 and 4,200 meters respectively. The new BLOs have a well-developed infrastructure, modern equipment, access to green energy and drinking water. 

The BLOs were established in the framework of the UNODC "Countering the trafficking of Afghan opiates via the northern route by enhancing the capacity of key border crossings points (BCPs) and through the establishment of Border Liaison Offices (BLOs)" project, funded, amongst others, by the Government of Japan, which provided USD 1,270,000 to specifically support the BLOs at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

 

Mr. Takayuki Koike, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Takayuki Oyama, JICA Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Gulamzhan Anarbaev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Service on Drug Control under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Norzoda Abdulkhamid, Chief of staff of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as members of the Project Steering Committee from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan along with other officials took part in the event.

 

The First Deputy Chairman of the State Service on Drug Control under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Gulamzhan Anarbaev said: "I believe that BLOs will further improve interagency and cross border cooperation between Kyrgyz and Tajik law enforcement agencies and will contribute to their efforts in countering drug trafficking". Mr. Anarbaev thanked the Government of Japan and UNODC for the assistance provided to the Kyrgyz Republic in countering drug trafficking and noted that the UNODC project is considered to be the most successful project implemented by the State Service on Drug Control in cooperation with international organizations.

 

"Within the last three months, three BLOs were opened with the project's assistance, which serves as evidence of the Governments' commitment to establish BLOs", - said Mr. Norzoda Abdulkhamid, Tajik DCA Chief of Staff, in his opening remarks at the BLO "Kizyl Art".