OSCE project on building capacity of Kyrgyz and Afghan customs officers concludes

BISHKEK, 29 October 2015 – A ceremony to mark the end of a three-year OSCE Centre in Bishkek project to build the technical capacity of Afghan and Kyrgyz customs officers took place at the premises of the Kyrgyz Customs’ Training Centre in Leninskoe village, 20 kilometres outside Bishkek. The project was implemented jointly with the State Customs Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.

During the event, the Chairperson of the Kyrgyz State Customs Service, Adamkul Junusov, awarded  Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek; Yulia Minaeva, Head of the Centre’s work in the Economic and Environment Dimension; and Saltanat Alibekova, manager of the customs project, with a medal for international co-operation.

The project saw 150 Afghan and 850 Kyrgyz customs officers trained in identifying and detecting narcotics, conducting risk analysis and managing risk, examining cargo containers and trailers, interviewing techniques, compiling statistics, intellectual property rights, and carrying out audits. They were also acquainted with the legislation of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The courses were developed and conducted jointly by experts from the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and trainers from the Afghan National Customs Academy.

“Social and economic stability as well as the prosperity of the country and security of the region as a whole depends on the work of the customs service,” said Kapinos. “Providing assistance and support to the State Customs Service of the Kyrgyz Republic is one of our priorities, and the involvement of Afghan counterparts demonstrates the importance and relevance of such initiatives.”

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek opened the new building for the Training Centre for Kyrgyz customs officers in November 2013 following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 9 October 2013.