I. The EU-UNDP BOMCA Assistance Programme in Turkmenistan: Introduction

Turkmenistan borders Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Border infrastructure with Iran and Afghanistan is relatively well developed, having been part of the external borders of the former Soviet Union. These border crossing points have been further strengthened by the Government with the support of the international community, due to concerns over drug trafficking. Border infrastructure with Uzbekistan, in particular, is more basic and is the focus of a request for assistance from the Government of Turkmenistan.

In Turkmenistan, the State Border Guard Service is responsible for protection of the state border. The State Migration Service is given a leading role in implementing passport and migration control at the checkpoints. However, it is noted by the international community that training for all agencies involved in border control (the Border Guard Service, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Services, Customs, and the Migration Service) remains a Government priority.

The BOMCA Programme has a single governmental body as its overall counterpart, the State Coordinating Commission on Drugs, which comprises representatives from all relevant Agencies. The State Coordinating Commission is both a political-level task force and operational-level inter-agency working group.

Studies of the legal and institutional framework on border management have been carried out by the programme's partner organisation ICMPD (International Centre for Migration Policy Development), and multi-agency training on Integrated Border Management (IBM) has been conducted. The Turkmen officials participate regularly in training activities at home and abroad.

The Turkmen authorities have recently shown an increased interest in modernising their border organisational structures, but at present do not envisage formulating a new Border Management Strategy. Nevertheless, officers from all the agencies that have border responsibilities participate in training and study tours organised by the BOMCA Programme.

The government of Turkmenistan has recognised the fight against drugs to be one of its main priorities and to this end has established a new State Service for Combating Drugs. The Turkmen Government requested that the BOMCA Programme train the officers of this new unit, who will be subsequently deployed at Border Crossing Points (BCPs) and international airports.

II. BOMCA's current phase in Turkmenistan

In response to the challenges the countries in Central Asia face on their borders, the European Union launched the BOMCA assistance programme in 2002. Its current phase has the following activities in Turkmenistan:

Project 1: Strengthening training capacities

As part of previous BOMCA phases, border agency training centres were refurbished or constructed and equipped with all necessary specialised and office equipment. This included the construction of the Veterinary Unit and refurbishment of the Training Centre in Ashgabat. The current phase is dedicated to additional refurbishment of the living quarters and dining rooms of the Training Centre of the State Border Service in the Yanbash settlement and enhancing the capacity of the training centre's staff. Regional and national "Training-of-Trainers" courses are being conducted in Dushanbe, Almaty and Ashgabat along with skills training courses for new trainers.

Within the BOMCA Programme beneficiaries receive training for dog handlers on a regional level. The comprehensive training programme for dog handlers improves their knowledge of dog handling techniques in searching for drugs and explosives. Participants are familiarised with EU best practice based on the methods practiced at the Canine School of the Austrian Police Academy.

Each graduate is provided with a special outfit, a German shepherd dog, dog equipment and training materials. Upon successful completion of the course students are awarded the qualification of Certified Dog Handler, and take their trained dogs to serve at the border crossing points of their countries.

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 Service and the State Service on Drugs of Turkmenistan.

Project 2: Strengthening Infrastructure Capacities Along Trade and Transit Corridors in Central Asia

All Turkmen border agencies, namely the Migration Service, Customs, the Border Service, actively participate in trainings and study tours organized within the BOMCA programme. Skills training on IBM basics and border control aimed at inter-agency cooperation and Integrated Border Management were conducted for the Ashgabat international airport and Turkmenbashy sea port. Study tours have been arranged for senior border staff to learn about border management in the European Union.

The BOMCA Programme provided specialised equipment, furniture and office equipment for use by Border Guards, Customs and Migration officers based at the Kunia-Urgench BCP at the Turkmen-Uzbek border.

Project 3: Strengthening counter-drug capacities at borders

In 2008 BOMCA opened discussions with the Government on assistance that could be provided to support to the newly established State Service on Drugs. Requests for equipment and training have been prioritised. BOMCA is in the process of launching tenders for the necessary equipment to be procured. Additionally, the Programme will carry out training sessions on modern working methods for the fight against drug trafficking and drug precursors.

Drug Profiling Units (DPUs) have been established in all the countries in the Central Asian region in order to search for drugs and explosives, to apprehend suspected drug traffickers and to collate and analyse information on illegal drug trafficking.

In Turkmenistan, two Drug Profiling Units (DPU) offices at the Turkmenbashy Sea Port and the International Airport in Ashgabat have been opened. For these, BOMCA refurbished the relevant facilities and equipped them with the necessary specialist and office equipment. With the involvement of international experts, a number of training sessions were carried out for the staff of BCPs and DPUs.

III. Coordination

Technical Level Donor Coordination Meetings are regularly organised and hosted in the country. The principal goal of the donor coordination meetings is 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: Bi-annual Steering Committee Meetings are a useful vehicle for Turkmenistan to indicate and outline their priorities. Programme implementation is planned according to the decisions made by these committees.

The Central Asia Border Security Initiative (CABSI) conference is a coordination platform for all stakeholders in the areas of border management and drug control in Central Asia, while its objectives have been developed further to promote a comprehensive and sustainable integrated border management approach in the region. CABSI meetings take place once a year in Central Asia to discuss current border management and security activities and possible future cooperation.

IV. BOMCA major activities and planned projects in Turkmenistan

• Renovation of the State Border Service's Training Centre in Yanbash was completed in two stages and included refurbishment and equipping of classrooms and teachers rooms, a conference hall, a library, administrative offices, a dining room and barracks. Two classrooms and a conference hall were refurbished in the Training Centre in Ashgabat (as a part of the Training Centre in Yanbash);
• Construction of a Veterinary Unit for the State Border Service Dog Training Centre including provision of specialised veterinary equipment, furniture and computers;
• 30 Turkmen dog handlers trained in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and deployed at BCPs and airports throughout the country;
• 50 Turkmen border and customs officers trained in basic border control, IBM concepts, profiling and search techniques, as well as human/asylum rights and risks analysis;
•  study tours arranged to the EU countries for senior border managers to learn the European best-practices in border management. Two latest study tours were arranged to the EU training institution in Luebeck, Germany, in April 2010; and to the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the EU External Borders (FRONTEX) to Warsaw, Poland, in May 2010;
• A training work plan on IBM prepared with the support of ICMPD (International Centre for Migration Policy Development) technical experts;
• IBM workshops and 2 conferences organised by ICMPD and attended by 10 Turkmen law enforcement officers;
• "Training-of-Trainers" courses on IBM attended by 20 Turkmen officers held in Almaty (Kazakhstan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Dushanbe (Tajikistan);
• Construction of a Dog Centre (classrooms, dormitory and kitchen) in Mary;
• Donor coordination meetings held every 6 months to improve donor cooperation and avoid duplication of efforts.

Training, equipment and infrastructure investments under BOMCA Programme in Turkmenistan for 2004-2010