OSCE seeks to strengthen co-operation between participating States and Mediterranean Partners on border security and management

The OSCE points of contact network to strengthen risk analysis and information exchange between the OSCE’s participating States and Mediterranean Partners in the area of border security and management was launched at a roundtable event organized by the OSCE in Madrid from 4 to 6 April 2017 in co-operation with the Spanish National Police.

The discussion brought together more than 30 participants from Algeria, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia as well as representatives from Frontex, Europol, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Participants shared experiences, views and good practices on how to enhance co-operation in addressing a range of cross border crimes, such as the illicit trafficking of weapons, drugs and human beings.

“The launching of the points of contact network with the Mediterranean Partners provides us with a new platform to better address the diverse security challenges in the OSCE area,” said Dennis Cosgrove, Head of Border Security and Management Unit at the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department.

Maria Antonia Mena Lopez, Deputy Head of the Division of International Co-operation at the Spanish National Police, said: “This is a perfect occasion to examine the geostrategic positions of the countries participating in this meeting, exchange views on border security and risk management and what we can offer to each other in the Mediterranean region.”

A representative of Frontex’s Risk Analysis and Management Unit said that the establishment of active information-sharing networks and the improvement of analytical capabilities are crucial to supporting effective border security measures to respond to the risks and threats in the Mediterranean.

The discussion, which concluded with a set of recommendations, is part of an OSCE multi-year initiative aimed at strengthening co-operation mechanisms between the border security and management agencies of the OSCE participating States and the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation. The project is implemented in close co-operation with organizations such as Frontex, Europol, IOM, the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.