Finland supports OSCE projects to promote border security and management between Tajikistan and Afghanistan

HELSINKI, 27 February 2008 - Finland will dispatch three border experts to Tajikistan and provide funding to support OSCE border security and management projects in Central Asia.

The Finnish Foreign Ministry has donated 180,000 euros to an OSCE project assisting the Tajik authorities in establishing a national border strategy. In addition, Finland has allocated 400,000 euros to a pilot project aimed at training border guards to work in challenging conditions on the Tajik-Afghan border.

Three experts from the Finnish Border Guard will be deployed for one year for the projects.

A decision of the 2007 Madrid Ministerial Council called for more intensive efforts by the OSCE to enhance engagement with Afghanistan, an OSCE Asian Partner for Co-operation.

The promotion of border security and management in Central Asia is one of the priorities of the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship.