ISTANBUL, Turkey

UNRCCA and UNOCT in partnership with SCO RATS conducted the training course “Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation and Information Sharing to Interdict Terrorist Travel in Central Asia” in a hybrid format in Istanbul, Turkey, on 30 November - 3 December 2021. The training course was organized within the framework of the joint multi-year UNRCCA and UNOCT-UNCCT project aimed at implementing the UN Global-Counter Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia and under the UNOCT-UNCCT Border Security Management Programme.  

The training course, tailored for Central Asia, focused on good practices to expand cross-border cooperation and information sharing to counter terrorism, including legal and operational issues, specific challenges related to foreign terrorist fighters, responsive use and sharing of biometric data, institutional integrity and ant-corruption as well as human rights. The challenges related to the recent developments in Afghanistan and how they affect security and operational issues at the border with Central Asia were also raised by a number of participants and experts. 

Approximately 70 officials from all Central Asian states and representatives of UN entities and regional organizations, such as the SCO RATS, CICA, CIS ATC, SCTO, OSCE, WCO, EU/LEICA Project, took part in the discussion. The course concluded with a set of recommendations related to improved cooperation at the borders in Central Asia. After months in the travel restricted environment, the course also served as a good opportunity for networking and more informal exchange of information.