OSCE completes operational planning training course for Tajik border officers

On 1 November 2024, nineteen officers from the Tajik Border Troops successfully completed an intensive three-week Operational Planning Training (OPT) course. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the OSCE’s efforts to strengthen border security along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border.

The course, held at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, provided participants with advanced skills in the Military Decision-Making Process, a UN-standard operational planning methodology widely used by security forces worldwide. Two international experts with extensive experience in military operations and border security, including service with the UN, NATO, and FRONTEX, led the training. The training course focused on systematic approaches to tackle complex border security challenges.

A unique aspect of the course was the involvement of three former OPT graduates from the Tajik Border Troops who served as assistant instructors. This participation underscores the sustainable impact of the OSCE’s capacity-building efforts. Participants engaged in realistic scenarios that addressed security threats, criminal activities, and humanitarian challenges specific to the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border.

Tatiana Turcan, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, said during the graduation ceremony: “The skills you’ve developed here are not merely academic exercises. They are practical tools that will help you protect Tajikistan’s borders and contribute to regional stability. The challenges along the Afghan border are complex and evolving, but you now possess a proven methodology to analyze problems, develop solutions, and implement effective operations.”

The French Ambassador to Tajikistan, H.E. Elsa Pignol, and the German Ambassador to Tajikistan, H.E. York Schuegraf, visited the course on 31 October to witness firsthand the practical application of operational planning methodologies. Their visit highlighted the international community's commitment to supporting border security in Central Asia.

The event is conducted in the framework of the OSCE’s Patrol Field Capacity Building project, now in its second phase, which is generously supported by France, Germany, and the United States. The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe continues to support Tajikistan's border security efforts through various capacity-building initiatives, contributing to the stability of Tajikistan, Central Asia, and the wider OSCE region.