The EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10) held the second round of National Project Steering Group meetings (NSG) in Kyrgyzstan, in order to review the progress of its second implementation year and define plans for the upcoming period. On September 14, a meeting was held in Bishkek, gathering Kyrgyz national counterparts directly involved in the project’s implementation.

Ms. Lene Volkersen, Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union in Kyrgyzstan, said the following:

“With its focus on facilitating regional integration, the European Union Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) represents the spirit of EU-Central Asia cooperation. BOMCA – with its contribution to strengthening the border services - is one of our flagships and the largest EU-funded Programmes in the region. The EU believes that regional cooperation and integration offer the best tools for addressing common challenges and is instrumental in ensuring security and stability in the region of Central Asia,” she said.

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Erik Beishembiev, Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, stressed his appreciation to BOMCA 10 for its assistance in border management.

“Central Asia, like many countries in the world, faces security challenges such as terrorism, extremism, transnational crime, drug trafficking and border security problems. In this regard, it is important to continue the active implementation of the BOMCA Programme, in cooperation with other EU-funded programmes. The BOMCA programme plays an important positive and constructive role in the region, strengthening cooperation between the Central Asian republics in such strategically important areas as border management, migration flows, trade facilitation, and so on,” he said.