International Border Security: Regional Meeting on National Targeting Centers and Effective Border Security

On 7-8 December 2023, the Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT) of UNODC’s Border Management Branch (BMB) located at the Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe (ROSEE), in cooperation with the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Directorate General of Customs Enforcement (DGCE) of the Republic of Türkiye organized a regional meeting on National Targeting Centers and Effective Border Security in Istanbul, Türkiye.

PCBT, located at ROSEE in Istanbul, Türkiye, implements the mandates of the Container Control Programme (CCP) and the Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP) in partnership with the WCO, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Having expanded the PCBT-supported network of 180 units at ports, airports and land borders in more than 80 countries globally, UNODC recognizes the increased interest of beneficiary countries in establishing National Targeting Centers (NTCs) and aims to support them accordingly to achieve structured information management, the institutionalization of nationally coordinated approaches to risk assessment, analysis and targeting, and the establishment of a framework for regional and inter-regional cooperation among NTCs.

NTCs are at the forefront of effective border management, and employ advanced technologies and intelligence analysis to identify and prioritize potential threats related to the movement of passengers and cargo. Through comprehensive risk assessments, they enable border control agencies to allocate resources efficiently, respond effectively to high-risk targets and foster collaboration among various government agencies. Real-time data integration and analysis empower the NTCs to adapt to emerging threats, prevent transnational crime, optimize resource allocation and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

The Istanbul meeting was attended by representatives of customs administrations, experts and other competent authorities from the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Türkiye, Ukraine and the Republic of Uzbekistan, aimed to discuss priorities, needs and challenges in establishing NTCs for effective border security and to strengthen regional practical cooperation among PCBT participating countries and partners in identifying and intercepting high-risk consignments.

The meeting was opened with welcoming addresses by the UNODC, the WCO and the Deputy Director General of the DGCE of the Republic of Türkiye. In the first discussion, initiated by the WCO on the benefits of NTCs, delegations from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan presented the current status of their efforts to establish NTCs and underlined the importance of inter-agency and international practical cooperation. International experts from Canada, Germany and Türkiye presented best practices and lessons learned in the establishment of NTCs. The subsequent session focused on regional and international cooperation in the context of NTCs, and the meeting concluded with an overview of key needs and priorities within the PCBT participating countries.

Participants recommended to further strengthen national capacities in establishing and improving NTCs including inter-agency and international practical cooperation for better risk analysis and management among NTCs; as well as continue regional dialogue and meetings on a regular basis covering best practices and lessons learned on the NTC subject.

Participants expressed gratitude to Türkiye for hosting the event and underlined the importance of continued regional cooperation in the establishment and strengthening of NTCs.

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Further Information

UNODC ROSEE has the role to facilitate the delivery of UNODC technical assistance to Member States in SEE, and to promote regional and international collaboration and partnerships to fight against illicit drugs, transnational organized crime, corruption and terrorism in respect of human rights, gender and diversity standards.

UNODC’s Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT), established in May 2023, implements jointly with the World Customs Organization (WCO) the Container Control Programme (CCP) and with INTERPOL and the WCO the Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP).

The mission of the CCP is to build capacity in countries seeking to improve risk management, supply chain security, and trade facilitation in seaports, airports and land border crossings in order to prevent the cross-border movement of illicit goods.

AIRCOP aims at strengthening the capacities of international airports to target and intercept high-risk passengers, cargo and mail, as a contribution to the fight against illicit drugs and other illicit commodities, terrorism-related threats, trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. It also aims at facilitating communication and coordination between origin, transit and destination countries to disrupt cross-border illicit flows and criminal networks.

Learn more about PCBT: CCP and AIRCOP

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