OSCE-supports effective communication training for officers of the Kyrgyz State Border Service

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic organized a two-day communication training for the leadership of the State Border Service and heads of military units to improve their professional capacity and knowledge in communications techniques. Its aim is to establish a unified information policy on border security. The training was held in the city of Osh on 3-4 July 2015.

Some 20 officers of the State Border Service in the south of Kyrgyzstan received training in external, internal communications, effective planning and media communications conducted by communication specialist Nataliya Lubeznova.

The participants learned how to use social media and talked about importance of having a corporate website. They were also familiarized with media and access to information legislation.

“This training is an important part of our continued support to the Kyrgyz State Border Service,” said Maciej Dachowski, head of the politico-military dimension of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “I hope, this improved communications capacity of the State Border Service will not only boost its cooperation with the local population and mass media, but most importantly advance early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms”.

According to Colonel Raimberdi Duishenbiev, the chairman of the Kyrgyz State Border Service, “The Kyrgyz State Border Service is the first institution among other law enforcement agencies which conducts an assessment of internal and external communications of the border service with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.”

The training was conducted in two stages in Bishkek and Osh cities. During the course, officers gave interviews, conducted briefings, skype-sessions, talk-shows based on scenarios set up as closely as possible to real situations.

“I have received good practical knowledge on how to effectively work with mass media bringing border security information to the public”, said one of the training participants, Colonel Kuvatbek Jeenbaev.

The training was organized as a part of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek’s project “Enhancing the ability of the Kyrgyz Government to engage in regional cooperation in border security and management”.