On 13 - 15 December 2022 the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and OSCE Secretariat in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan convened the 17th Central Asia Border Management Initiative (CABMI) Conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The main focus of the 17th CABMI Conference was border security challenges in the Central Asian region, with emphasis on the developments in Afghanistan and the resulting transnational threats affecting neighboring States.
Over 70 officials participated at the conference in person and online. They included border and customs representatives from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as experts from AIRPOL, the EU’s Border Management in Central Asia programme (BOMCA), EUROPOL, INTERPOL, International Migration Organization (IOM), United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UNOCT), and as well as the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Türkiye and the United States of America.
"A vital component to prevent and counter transnational organized crime, terrorism, and illicit trafficking is enhanced cross-border cooperation. We must strengthen communication and intelligence-sharing across borders to detect and intercept illicit flows, including drugs, firearms, FTF movement and smuggling of people while facilitating legitimate international trade. The efforts should not limit to law enforcement component, but include community engagement, social cohesion, and cybersecurity in an integrated manner.
"In recent years, border security threats have become increasingly more complex and challenging. No State can unilaterally prevent, reduce, or even repress threats like transnational organized crime and terrorism, illegal migration, corruption, smuggling and trafficking in weapons, drugs, and human beings.
Greater co-operation both at regional and international levels is essential", - said Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General in a pre-recorded message to the participants.
The Central Asian delegations exchanged information on the current situation and their progress in border security and management. Participants discussed ways to address cross-border risks and challenges of illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW), ammunition and explosives, proliferation of transnational terrorism and organized crime. Discussions were also focused on further needs to identify and encourage cross-border co-ordination and co-operation in support of addressing the above cross-border risks and challenges.
UNODC HQ experts, Joaquin Zuckerberg, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer and Kate Fitzpatrick, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, Terrorism Prevention Branch, briefed participants on the project on “Enhancing Border Management and Security in Response to Terrorism Threats in Central Asia” and how to integrate gender considerations in their efforts. Discussions were also focused on further needs to identify and encourage cross-border co-ordination and co-operation in support of addressing the above cross-border risks and challenges. The project addresses challenges related to ensuring effective border security as an integral part of the comprehensive and integrated national counter-terrorism strategies in Central Asia.
Simonetta Grassi, Chief of UNODC’s Global Firearms Programme, Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch spoke about national, regional and international perspectives and responses to the risks of proliferation of SALW, ammunition and explosives and focused on UNODC Strategic Stability Grid (SSG) for Afghanistan.
The parties will continue to strengthen co-operation and co-ordination in delivery of technical assistance among all involved international and regional partner organizations.
The Conference took place under the UNODC project on “Enhancing Border Management and Security in Response to Terrorism Threats in Central Asia” funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and OSCE’s extra-budgetary project “Strengthening the Resilience of Uzbekistan to Address Cross-Border Challenges Emanating from Afghanistan” financed by the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Sweden, and the United States of America.
For further information please contact:
Arifa Fatikhova
Communications and External Relations Officer
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Regional Office for Central Asia
Mobile: (+998 99) 825-05-43 | Email: arifa.fatikhova[at]un.org