OSCE Centre in Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan help Afghanistan fight smuggling

BISHKEK, 9 July 2010 - A six-week course during which customs officers from Afghanistan will improve their skills to fight smuggling, organized jointly by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Kyrgyzstan's State Customs Service, started today.

Ten participants are attending the course, taught by Afghan and Kyrgyz customs instructors. The curriculum, which also includes duty collection, was developed in co-operation with the Afghan National Customs Academy.

"This OSCE-supported project, hosted by Kyrgyzstan, is an example of the OSCE's increased support for building Afghanistan's institutions and improving wider regional relations in the field of customs," said Ambassador Andrew Tesoriere, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. "This joint training programme for Kyrgyz and Afghan customs officers will contribute to efforts to curb the illegal cross-border movement of goods, services and people while at the same time facilitating legal movement and trade."

Courses similar to the one underway are to be organized regularly as part of an OSCE Centre project implemented jointly with Kyrgyzstan's Customs Training Centre that aims to help develop a comprehensive training curriculum tailored in accordance with international standards and best practices.

Zamirbek Malabekov, the Deputy Chairman of Kyrgyzstan's State Customs Service, said: "This course an important step toward co-operation with our colleagues from Afghanistan in the framework of the OSCE-led project."

The course is part of OSCE work to enhance engagement with Afghanistan as decided by Foreign Ministers from OSCE participating States in 2007 following a request from Afghanistan for OSCE assistance in the area of border security, police training and combating drug trafficking.

Engagement with Afghanistan is a key priority of Kazakhstan's 2010 OSCE Chairmanship.