Following the experience of the previous phases of the Programme, in particular in enhancing international donor coordination and cooperation and strengthening stakeholder networking, BOMCA supported the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic in hosting the International Donors Coordination Meeting on Border Management Issues held on 25 February 2016. The participants at the meeting were the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as international donors and agencies involved in border management and associated areas (EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic, OSCE, RCC, UNODC, UNHCR, UNDP). The Kyrgyz hosting delegation was led by Col. Nurbek Sultanaliev, Head of the International Relations Department of the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic.
“Today’s donor meeting is very important for Kyrgyzstan and for all participating parties as it is a step forward for coordinated and constructive cooperation among all the donors in the border management area” said Col. Sultanaliev.
In his welcoming address, Mr. Luca Carapelli, Project Manager of the European Union Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic mentioned that border management and facilitation of legal migration and goods flow in Central Asia is one of the priority directions for the European Union strategy in Central Asia.
Further to previous meetings, the overall objective of the event was to encourage better international donor coordination in the border management sector, provide information on the ongoing projects, and share views among donors and government beneficiaries on border management strategy and related policy matters.
The meeting began with a presentation from the Department of Strategic Planning of the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic on implementation of Kyrgyzstan’s National IBM Strategy 2012 – 2022, its current status, needs and existing gaps. Afterwards, the international donors presented their country programmes, aimed at capacity building of all law enforcement institutions involved in border management, enhancing the legislative base, strengthening cooperation with neighbouring countries, introduction of anti-corruption measures, infrastructural support and delimitation and demarcation efforts.
Presentations were then given by the international donors on their ongoing programmes in Kyrgyzstan and the floor was opened for discussion. In the course of the discussion, implementation, gaps and challenges in relation to the implementation of the National IBM Strategy 2012 – 2022 were highlighted. Also, the upcoming 12th Conference of the Central Asia Border Security Initiative was highlighted as an opportunity to initiate high-level consultations with donors and international stakeholders related to the IBM implementation support in the Kyrgyz Republic. All participants at the meeting agreed to renew the former practice of donor cooperation matrix circulation, whereby the State Border Service will circulate the matrix among all IBM actors on a quarterly basis and collect the inputs.
By offering an opportunity to meet, discuss and exchange views, the meeting was the next step towards strengthening the donor coordination platform on border management and promoting cooperation and interaction among partners and stakeholders. The meeting was important not only in terms of setting up plans, but also with a view to renewing the work of the forum for the presentation of achievements and evaluation of results. It is planned by the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic that such coordination meetings will take place twice a year with the support of the current phase of BOMCA and the next meeting will be held at the end of 2016.