DUSHANBE, November 25, 2015, Asia-Plus – The European Union Delegation to Tajikistan’s notes that UNDP’s EU Border Management in Northern Afghanistan (BOMNAF) planned project activities require that coordination meetings and events involving Afghanistan, Tajikistan and other Central Asian border officials are organized, implemented and hosted by the Project.
Therefore, UNDP’s EU-BOMNAF Project hosted a conference and workshop in Dushanbe on November 24-25 to discuss Regional Cooperation, Capacity Building, and Trade, Commerce & Investment.
The meeting was reportedly attended by over one hundred and twenty representatives from border and customs, trade and transport agencies of Afghanistan and Tajikistan, ministerial representation from both sides of the border, as well as EU donors from the EU Delegations in Kabul and Dushanbe, experts and representatives from the international community working in the areas of trade and commerce, customs issues, border management and associated areas.
The overall aim of the event is to promote international and regional cooperation among border agencies, by assisting participants to understand the importance of cooperation and information sharing with authorities on both sides of international borders. Issues discussed at the event include: regional cooperation; capacity building; and trade, commerce and investment.
The event reportedly provided a platform for practitioners and experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities for cross border trade and exchange, and regional cooperation at the ground level and come up with suggestions and recommendations to be fed in to the policy and decision making level meetings and events.
Capacity building and training for beneficiaries is a vital element in BOMNAF activities. To ensure harmony and efficiency, close links with partner organizations in the region are continually developing. By cooperating in training activities, duplication is minimized and a greater disposition of joint capability is achieved.
The overall objective of the European Union”s assistance to Afghanistan is to foster regional cooperation and enable Afghanistan to facilitate secure trade links within its neighborhood, especially Central Asia. The BOMNAF project is a component of a larger Regional Cooperation Programme of assistance agreed between the European Union and the Government of Afghanistan, and complements other programs in Afghanistan, in Tajikistan and in Central Asia.
