OSCE Centre helps train customs officials in Turkmenistan

ASHGABAD, 29 April 2008 - Ten officials from the Turkmenistan State Customs Service took part in a training course on processing cargo customs declarations that ended in Ashgabad this week.

The six-day course was organized by the OSCE Centre, the EU TACIS Programme and the Turan Mugallym Teachers' Association.

"In 2007, a new computer based programme for processing cargo customs declarations was introduced at Turkmenistan customs points," said Ambassador Ibrahim Djikic, the Head of the OSCE Centre.

"This training course was designed to familiarize customs officials from Ashgabad and other regions of Turkmenistan with the new programme. The course is part of an OSCE project to strengthen professional capabilities of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan to develop effective and efficient border control."

The ten-month OSCE project also includes English language lessons to help officials communicate more effectively with foreigners crossing the border, and to review and analyze foreign shipping documents.

Some 190 customs officials will undergo training under the project by the end of the year. 

Since 2004, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad has trained around 500 Turkmenistan customs officials.