Afghan border police officers complete OSCE border patrol leadership course in Dushanbe

DUSHANBE, 23 December 2015 – A total of nineteen Afghan border police officers graduated today from the OSCE-supported four-week patrolling and leadership course at Gissar Training Centre, Tajikistan.

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan organized the course jointly with the European Union-funded and the United Nations Development Programme-implemented Border Management Northern Afghanistan programme.

Middle-rank officers from border detachments at the Afghan-Tajik border enhanced their knowledge in patrol planning and management techniques, and improved their professional capabilities in reporting and analysis, border patrolling in mountain areas, alpine skills and in providing first aid in the field. Planning and conducting border surveillance missions using topographical maps, satellite imagery and other tools were also in focus at the training course. Two Tajik border troops officers assisted in the delivery of the training activities.

Fabio Piana, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, said: “Capacity building of Afghanistan’s border police and Tajikistan’s border troops plays a crucial role in strengthening security at the border between the two countries, and we remain dedicated to supporting such efforts.”

The course is part of the OSCE Office’s patrol programming and leadership project, which is aimed at strengthening the capacities of Tajik and Afghan border security staff in detecting and preventing illegal cross-border movements.

The representatives of Afghanistan Embassy in Tajikistan and Tajik border troops attended the closing ceremony.