Kyrgyzstan hosts OSCE-supported Central Asian regional seminar on delimitation and demarcation practices

A Central Asian regional seminar on demarcation and delimitation practices concluded on 7 August 2019 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The eighth of its kind, it built on the success of the previous events organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department/Border Security and Management Unit since 2011.

One of the key outcomes of the series is a practical Guidebook on Delimitation and Demarcation based on positive bilateral experience of the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Lithuania was developed and launched by TNTD/BSMU in 2017.

This one and a half day seminar, organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department/Border Security and Management Unit (TNTD/BSMU), with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the Government of Kyrgyzstan, brought together 16 representatives from the national boundary commissions of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

“Clearly defined borders are beneficial to the livelihoods of border communities. They also promote wider regional security and stability, enable commercial exchanges, and the free movement of people. The OSCE created this forum in 2011 as an opportunity to share national delimitation and demarcation experiences, discuss good practices, challenges and the ways to resolve them,” said Dennis Cosgrove, Head of the Border Security and Management Unit.

Experts from Lithuania and Belarus shared their border delimitation and demarcation experiences and familiarized participants with legal and economic aspects of enclaves, within and outside of the OSCE area. Participants were also engaged in practical group exercises aimed at finding optional solutions in a fictional border delimitation and demarcation scenario through negotiations, harmonization of positions and development of unified approaches based on international and national legal frameworks.

“Individual states have to adopt pragmatic approaches to explore possibilities of increased cross-border co-operation and resolve any outstanding challenges related to delimitation, demarcation of borders and enclaves,” said Dr. Zenonas Kumetaitis, the former Head of the Boundary Commission of Lithuania.