I. Introduction

Kyrgyzstan borders with China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.. Border infrastructure with China is relatively developed. The border section with Kazakhstan is delimitated and bilateral intergovernmental agreement signed and ratified by Kazakhstan. Other border sections are not yet fully delimited and demarcated, and border infrastructure is sub-basic.

The main three risk factors faced by Kyrgyzstan are: fragile security situation and ethnic tension in the Fergana Valley; pending delimitation and demarcation of its border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan; and human and drug trafficking from Afghanistan through the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

Southern borders are particularly porous, and are the entry point for drugs traveling mainly to Russia, as well as weapons and human trafficking to and from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The Ferghana valley area is especially prone to volatility, and the high degree of criminality associated with trafficking in drugs, arms and people is a major destabilising factor mitigating against the rule of law, the development of social capital and increased living standards for the poor. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to cooperate on security issues, however, cross-border collaboration needs to improve considerably given the volatile security situation in the region. The Ferghana countries also agree on the necessity to increase trade and transit activities, and develop the weakly existing trade corridors in the Ferghana further, where national borders impede economic development.

In response to the challenges the countries in Central Asia face on their borders, the European Union launched the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) assistance programme in 2003.

The Border Troops which are under the State Committee on National Security is the main beneficiary and the main counterpart of the BOMCA programme; other partners are the Customs Service, the State Service on Drug Control, the Veterinary and the Phytosanitary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as Sanitary service of the Ministry of Health.

The Government's strong commitment made it possible to form a legal basis for establishing the National Coordination Centre (NCC) in 2008. In cooperation with the BOMCA Programme, the Border Guards Service coordinates the work of NCC, the inter-agency approach to introduce the IBM approach in Kyrgyzstan and the contribution of the other nine state agencies in the process of developing strategic documents, including the National Integrated Border Management (IBM) Strategy and Action Plan.

All border management agencies are in dialogue with BOMCA and attend border management-related meetings.

II. BOMCA's current phase in Kyrgyzstan

BOMCA current phase includes the following activities in Kyrgyzstan:

Project 1: Institutional reform

Kyrgyzstan has embarked upon a major reform programme in the border security sector. The direction of this reform coincides with the activities of BOMCA and includes the establishment of functioning civilian control over the activities of border security agencies, the gradual implementation of operative-mobile methods in border patrol, the full professionalization of the border service (that is giving up enrolling conscripts in the border service).

The organizational structure of border management is under review and modernization, and major overhaul can be expected as part of the institutional development process on Security Sector Reform (SSR) project. In March 2012 the Kyrgyz Government approved a new National Strategy and Action Plan for Integrated Border Management. The Strategy is based on the assumption that border agencies will be adjusted to employ modern approach to border security. Also, it is envisaged that as a result of the political changes in the country, the civilian control over the armed forces and institutions will be strengthened, and this will also add to the public supervision of the border management.

Project 2: Enhancing Professional Skills

Current challenges of borders between Central Asian states require modern infrastructure and a more comprehensive and efficient system of border management. In this perspective BOMCA is interested in upgrading the professional capacity of border agencies' staff.

Successful reform and transformation into a professional border control service (replacing conscripts with professional border officers) will require an increase in training capacity and the introduction of new training methods and modules in the current curricula. Therefore, BOMCA contributed much to the beneficiaries' capacity building through training infrastructure development projects and successfully delivered a new Training Centre of the State Border Troops in Novopokrovka with a dormitory facility, a Multi-Agency Dog Training Centre of the State Customs Service in Leninskoye village, as well as training and laboratory facilities for the plant quarantine, the veterinary and the sanitary services in Bishkek. All training facilities are fully equipped: vehicles, HF radios, passport readers, drug detecting kits and computer equipment have been provided to the Border Troops and the Customs Committee.

BOMCA is conducting numerous skills training sessions for different audiences, middle-level commanders and executive level border guards, in various border control skills. Trainees and training requirements are selected and defined by beneficiaries and delivered by European experts.

The comprehensive training programme for dog handlers improves knowledge of dog handling techniques in searching for drugs and explosives. Each graduate of a dog handlers' course is provided with a special outfit, a German shepherd dog, dog equipment and training materials. Upon successful completion of the course, students are awarded with the qualification of certified dog handlers, and take trained dogs to serve at border crossing points. For the sustainability of training capacity, BOMCA conducted quarterly training sessions twice a year in Tashkent and Almaty for the dog handlers of the State Border Troops.

More than five hundred officers from Border Troops and the Customs Service received basic training in border control, profiling and search techniques, human rights and asylum rights, and computer based training. Training sessions on the use of intelligence sharing software, and basic counter narcotics techniques were held.

Project 3: Strengthening Counter-Drug Capacities in Agencies Working at Borders

This project aims at enhancing capacities for law enforcement officers in charge of fighting trafficking of illicit drugs across borders to support interception of drugs and precursor chemicals. BOMCA delivers national training courses on combating trafficking in illicit drugs and chemical precursors. These courses are focused mainly on intelligence analysis, analysis of operative data and chemical precursors.

In Kyrgyzstan a Drug Profiling Unit has been established at Manas International Airport in Bishkek. The main tasks of the DPU are to analyse collected data, to disseminate information on that data and to facilitate collaboration between all agencies involved in border security.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between BOMCA and Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC) in June 2010. The signed MOU provides for joint efforts in combating illegal drug trafficking and precursors in Central Asia.

Project 4: Border Crossing Points (BCPs) and Border Outposts (BOs)

The objective of this project is to improve working conditions and motivation of staff deployed at BCPs and BOs which were built under previous BOMCA and CADAP (Central Asia Drug Action Programme) phases. In Kyrgyzstan, border detachments and border outposts located in Ferghana Valley in Kyrgyzstan, will be provided with equipment. Batken and Leylek major border detachments, as well as Madaniyat, Kaitpas, Kadamjay, Kyzyl-Bel, Kairagach and Kyzyl-Kiya will be covered by 2012 plan of activities; the remaining will be defined and covered in the next years based on the beneficiaries' priorities. Renovation works will start in spring 2012 and will include water supply, electrical and other works. BCPs and BOs will be provided with IT and office equipment, furniture and other.

Technical Level Donor Coordination Meetings are organised to provide an opportunity for coordination and discussion on common aims to promote parallel funding from donor organizations and in-kind contributions to EU projects.

Regular meetings with the beneficiaries: Steering Committee meetings are a useful vehicle for Kyrgyzstan to indicate and outline its priorities. Programme implementation is planned according to the decisions made by these committees. Presently, they are held on a quarterly basis.

IV. Major BOMCA activities in Kyrgyzstan during 2010-2011

• Renovation and provision of equipment to the training and laboratory facilities of the Veterinary and the Plant Quarantine Inspections of the Ministry of Agriculture as well as the State Sanitary–Epidemiological Inspection of the Ministry of Health were provided over 2009-2010.

• Five basic border control trainings and five trainings in IBM concept, profiling and search techniques, as well as human/asylum rights and risks analyses were delivered during 2010-2011.

• Three cross-border IBM workshops were organised at the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border during 2010.

• Nine study tours were arranged to the EU countries for senior border managers to learn the European best-practices in border management. Three latest study tours were arranged to the EU training institution in Luebeck, Germany, in April 2010; to the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the EU External Borders (FRONTEX) to Warsaw, Poland, in May 2010 and to Latvia for representatives of Border Guards and Customs Services from Central Asia in September 2010.

• The traditional annual participation of Border Commanders from Central Asia in the International Border Police Conference (IBPC) was supported by BOMCA in summer 2011. The XIX International Border Police Conference (IBPC) in Budapest was organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Hungary and FRONTEX in June 2011. Delegates from Kyrgyzstan participated in the Conference along with their colleagues from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

• A two-days training on supply chain security for customs and border officers was delivered by a trade facilitation consultant during his mission to Central Asian countries in late fall 2010.

• In January 2011 BOMCA handed over to the Government of Kyrgyzstan two constructed and equipped buildings for the dormitory and canteen attached to the Border guards' Training Centre in Novopokrovka. A newly constructed dormitory has 44 rooms with bathrooms, air-conditioning, heating and fire alarm systems. A canteen for 48 seats is fully equipped with food processing equipment, a food distribution line, air-conditioning, as well as fire alarm and heating systems. Both facilities are equipped with computers, furniture, sport and household equipment. Total construction budget with furniture and equipment amounted to €600,000 Euro. The building of the Training Centre with a total capacity of 100 trainees was renovated and equipped during 2007-2008 to provide short and long term courses for border staff. A training package includes methods of operation to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies and integrated border management for border guards. Cost of renovation and equipment amounted to €400,000 Euro.

• Participants from Kyrgyzstan, represented by staff of state agencies involved in drug profiling (Border Troops, Customs, Drug Combating Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs , and Committee of National Security) took part in an awareness workshop at the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC) held in Almaty in March 2011.

• In May 2011 BOMCA handed over constructed and equipped buildings for the Multi-agency Dog Handlers' Training Centre to the State Customs Service under the Government of Kyrgyzstan. These project sites include a dormitory for 35 trainees, open-air cages for 38 dogs, a veterinary clinic, a fully equipped canteen for food processing to trainees and a special kitchen for dogs.

• An international expert conducted an assessment drug profiling mission and a two-days training for DPU staff. During his mission to Kyrgyzstan, the expert met the respective authorities, relevant agencies, and international organization that carry out work in the counter narcotics, especially related to border management and counter narcotics training.

• A delegation from Kyrgyzstan took part in the workshop of training institutions' heads from Central Asia in May 2011 at the Border Academy of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The workshop participants shared their experience in training and education of border guards in Central Asian countries and the European Union, explored possible cooperation areas and developed a Final Declaration on establishing a Consortium of Border Guards Training Centres.

• Annual Regional Meetings of Border Guard Commanders (the Issyk-Kul Initiative on Border Security in Central Asia) will be organised in 2012 and 2013 to ensure a forum for discussion of border management and regional cooperation issues in Central Asia at decision making level. The first meeting was held on 12 September 2011 with participation of Border Guard Commanders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

• A first working group meeting of Border Guards Training Centres' Forum in November 2011 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as well as a first working group meeting of Customs training Centers/Institutes' Forum in November 2011 in Astana, Kazakhstan were organised.

• A Regional Conference for border guards dog handlers in December 2011 in Almaty, Kazakhstan to exchange experience on training of dog handlers' instructors from border guards agencies, training of guiding dogs, as well as to map out possible future cooperation.

• A Regional three-day workshop for experts from phyto-sanitary and veterinary services from all Central Asian countries was held in Tashkent in December 2011. In the course of the workshop 36 participants discussed national methods and best practices in veterinary and phyto-sanitary management at borders and exchanged experience.

•  Mobile trainings for border guards and customs officers to provide hands-on skills and knowledge in cross-border communities, conflict prevention and cross-border cooperation in Ferghana Valley are programmed during the current phase of BOMCA. Totally ten trainings have been agreed and planned jointly with the UNDP Peace and Development Programme in Batken and Leylek districts in Southern Kyrgyzstan. Two trainings were conducted in October 2011 and the remaining will be distributed through 2012, 2013 and the first half of 2014.