DUSHANBE, April 24, 2013, Asia-Plus – On Tuesday April 23, the Border Management Program in Central Asia (BOMCA) celebrated ten years of its implementation in Central Asia, press release issued by the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan said.

The European Union signed a Contribution Agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on BOMCA implementation on April 23, 2003.  Since then, BOMCA has become a consistent partner of Central Asian governments in their pursuit for increasing security at their borders and facilitating legitimate trade and transit in the region.

“For a decade of its existence, BOMCA has proven itself as the border management programme most recognized by the Central Asian governments,”, says Ambassador Chantal Hebberecht, Head of EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic.  “States in the region have acknowledged the beneficial effect of BOMCA activities and have largely and openly embraced the objectives of the program.”

For BOMCA’s tenth anniversary some events were held in all five Central Asian countries.  In Kazakhstan, winners of the photo contest for best photographs of border management officers’ work and their service dogs held among photojournalists and staff of border management press services were awarded with prizes.  In Kyrgyzstan, mini-football matches were arranged among six teams from border control agencies (State Border Guard Service, Customs Committee, Ministry of Health, State Inspection on Veterinary and Phytosanitary Security, Drug Control Agency and Ministry of Interior).  In Tajikistan and Turkmenistan the winners of photo contests were awarded with professional equipment.  In Uzbekistan, the contest “Border guards at work” for best drawings among schoolchildren of 11-14 years old was arranged and prizes and presents were handed over to winners.

The overall objectives of BOMCA are to help increase security in the Central Asian region, to contribute toward the facilitation of legitimate trade and transit, and to reduce the illicit movement of goods and people.

The BOMCA Program is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP with ICMPD as an implementing partner for training component.