The workshop provided a platform to training institutions for enhancing cooperation and exchange of information on educational activities, and also on innovations and changes to the educational process of Central Asian border and customs services. It is expected that a consortium of heads of Central Asian training institutions will operate in the format of annual meetings and expand legal framework for cooperation to ensure effective collaboration at the regional level.

The workshop also provided best practices in the educational process, including facilitation of the trainers’ exchange. Annual cooperation plan was prepared with specifying topics and educational formats, including e-learning, on-site learning and study visits.

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.