OSCE Centre organizes study visit for Turkmenistan's customs officials

ASHGABAD, 27 June 2007 - Three members of Turkmenistan's customs service have just completed a one-week study tour to customs training facilities in Muenster and Plessow in Germany.

The study tour was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad with the support of the Government of Turkmenistan and Germany's Finance Ministry.

"Proper training is essential for customs officials to fulfil their duties on the border and protect the country, its economy and its society from smuggling and trafficking of drugs and human beings," said Heiko Zimmermann, an instructor at Muenster Customs Academy.

The three participants discussed the mission and curricula of customs training centres with their German colleagues and learned about human resources management, course development and computer-based distance learning.

The study tour was part of the OSCE Centre's support for capacity building of Turkmenistan's Customs Service.