OSCE strengthens border and customs officers’ mental preparedness at the Uzbek-Afghan border

In response to security challenges in the region, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department held a training course on building psycho-emotional resilience for 32 border and customs officers working at the Uzbek-Afghan border, as well as private sector personnel operating at the Termez Cargo Centre, an international logistics terminal in Termez, Uzbekistan, from 24 to 26 March 2025.

Participants learned about the unique mental health challenges faced by employees working at international borders and how to best support them. They discussed strategies to promote mental health awareness and stress management techniques, highlighting the role of psychologists and peer support programmes. By increasing mental resilience, the course aims to help border and customs officers make effective decisions under pressure and navigate the demands of their high-stress roles effectively.

“With growing passenger traffic at checkpoints, law enforcement officers face increasing pressure in ensuring regional security. This initiative contributes to strengthening the psycho-emotional resilience of personnel working at the Uzbek-Afghan border and in the Termez Cargo Centre, enhancing stress tolerance, morale and emergency preparedness. By equipping officers with effective problem-identification and coping strategies, it supports both their well-being and the efficiency of border security operations,” said Mirzaakram Kodirov, Head of the Centre for Development of Psychological Training at the Uzbek Customs Committee, who conducted the training along with Susanna Baberg, Senior Psychologist at the OSCE.

This initiative is part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Strengthening the resilience of Uzbekistan to address cross-border challenges emanating from Afghanistan”, funded by Germany, Sweden and the United States of America.