DUSHANBE, May 3, 2015, Asia-Plus – On Thursday April 30, U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Susan Elliott and General Rajabali Rahmonali, Chairman of the Main Department of Border Guards under the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), cut the ribbon, which officially opened the Halqayar Border Guards training center outside of Panj.
The U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe says that funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), the center was built by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tajikistan.
In her remarks, Ambassador Elliott praised the work being done by Tajikistan’s Border Guards, saying they served as the first line of defense for illicit drugs entering Europe from Afghanistan. Built at a cost of $132,000, the center consists of four classrooms and will be used to train Border Guards in patrolling and other critical aspects of guarding the nation’s borders.
The U.S. Government is committed to continued collaboration with the Government of Tajikistan to ensure safety and security for all citizens. Since 1992, the American people have provided over $1 billion in programs and humanitarian aid that support Tajikistan’s democratic institutions, health care, education, and economic growth.
