From March 29 – 31, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia held a regional workshop in Almaty for the Heads of Investigation Units of the Border Guard and Law Enforcement Agencies from Central Asian countries. The workshop expanded cooperation in exchanging information between the law enforcement agencies dealing with the investigation of cross-border crimes.
The workshop analysed the legal basis and legal powers of institutions involved in information exchange, including crime analysis products on cross-border crime-related investigations and evidence exchange. To facilitate information exchange in the crime investigation, amendments to the relevant legislation of Central Asian countries were proposed as a result of the workshop.
The Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA), funded by the European Union (EU), aims to enhance security, stability and sustainable growth in the region, while supporting cross-border cooperation and improving living conditions for people in the border areas of Central Asia. Since its implementation in 2003, BOMCA has played a leading role in strengthening cooperation between border control authorities through the application of the concept of integrated border management, as well as in bringing border control in line with international and EU standards.
BOMCA’s tenth phase, launched in April 2021, covers four areas: institutional development of border management agencies, improvement of detection capacities, trade facilitation, and improvement of cross-border cooperation. With a budget of EUR 21.65 million and an implementation period of 4.5 years, BOMCA 10 is the largest regional initiative in the field. It is implemented by a consortium of border management institutions of selected EU member states and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development led by the State Border Guard for the Republic of Latvia. /// nCa, 1 April 2022 (in cooperation with BOMCA at Almaty, 31 Mar)