DUSHANBE, December 2, 2015, Asia-Plus – During the first regional meetings arranged by Border Management Programme in Central Asia – Phase 9 (BOMCA-9) and Central Asia Drug Action Programme – Phase 6 (CADAP-6), EU experts presented work plans and discussed programs’ implementation modalities with their Central Asian partners from border management, customs, migration agencies, state services on drug control, and ministries of health from Central Asian countries.
During BOMCA Regional Steering Group meeting, which took place in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, yesterday morning, the overview of the program, including its objectives and structure and target areas, were presented to the main beneficiaries of the Central Asia by the representatives of the Riga Technical Latvian University, State Border Guard of the Republic Latvia and Customs Department under the Ministry of the Finance of the Republic of Lithuania (as leaders of three thematic components of the program). Views, comments and recommendations of main beneficiaries were provided.
EU experts from the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland and Germany presented planned activities in policy advice, monitoring of the drugs situation, prevention, drug treatment and harm reduction services within the current phase of CADAP.
Such regional meetings are convened once a year in Central Asian countries to promote further dialogue and exchange of information among the national authorities involved in the programs together with the EU and implementation partners. In this way, EU, CADAP and BOMCA National Governments’ partners from Central Asia and EU implementing partners ensure a better understanding and ownership of the programs, and agree on future perspectives and joint efforts to enhance programs’ impact both at country and regional level.
The overall objective of the ninth phase of BOMCA is to increase effectiveness and efficiency of border management in Central Asia by introducing advanced elements of the Integrated Border Management (IBM), assisting governments in developing and reforming their migration governance, mobility and trade facilitation policies, strengthening capacities of Border and Migration Agencies, and, thus contributing to the security and economic development at national and regional levels.
The overall objective of the sixth phase of CADAP is to strengthen the capacity of the Central Asian countries to deal with the drug phenomenon in the region in a comprehensive, integrative and sustainable manner. The beneficiaries of CADAP include policy makers, drug experts, penitentiary and hospital staff, media professionals, teachers, drug users, prisoners, young people and the general public.
