DUSHANBE, March 6, 2014, Asia-Plus – Representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have held consultations in Moscow to discuss measures to provide border security of Central Asia’s nations against the background of withdrawal of international coalition forces from Afghanistan.
Mr. Gennady Nevyglas, Deputy Secretary-General of the CSTO, Mr. Alexei Lyzhenkov, Director of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), Mr. Henryk Raczkowski, Director of the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe (BMSC), as well as representatives of the Secretariats of both Organizations participated in the consultations.
The CSTO Secretariat reports that after a detailed exchange of views on the mentioned issues the OSCE representatives presented opportunities of BMSC for professional development of high and middle ranking officials for border management, customs and law enforcement agencies of the SOCE participating States, including Central Asia’s nations, as well as Afghanistan.
The meeting participants reportedly also coordinated further steps to determine a format of participation of the CSTO Secretariat in informing students at the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe about objectives, goals and activity of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
The guiding philosophy of the OSCE Border Management Staff College is the creation of open but secure borders. By bringing together knowledge and experience from the 56 participating States of the OSCE and their Partners for Co-operation, the College provides specialized training for senior management of border security agencies. Utilizing the OSCE network to disseminate knowledge and experience, it offers opportunities for in-depth analysis of international standards in border management, and exchange of the latest techniques, technologies and best practices. It is also a nucleus for cooperation and information exchange among border professionals.
The College was inaugurated on 27 May 2009 following almost two years of planning.
The College’s work is divided into three areas: border security and management staff courses for up to 25 senior managers from OSCE participating States or Partners for Co-operation are held three times per year; the Research and Development Center links the College to border management training and research institutes elsewhere in the OSCE area (the Centre has an extensive reference and training library and an on-demand research capacity on border security and management); and outreach workshops and seminars in Central Asia promote and support cross-border and interagency co-operation through the exchange of information, lessons learned and the identification and development of border management best practices.
The OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) is the first international center for the specialized training of senior border officials.
