DUSHANBE, June 22, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- An official ceremony of handover of special equipment worth some 69,000 euros to the main border troops directorate within the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) has been held in Dushanbe today afternoon, according to the UNDP CO in Tajikistan.

12 special devices for checking passports as well as two video inspection devices have been handed over to Tajik border guards in the framework of the border management and drug control (BOMCA/CADAP) project, the source at the UNDP Dushanbe Offices aid.

The objectives of the BOMCA program are to contribute to the facilitation of legitimate trade and transit; to reduce the illicit movement of goods and people; and to help increase security in the region.  The main component of BOMCA is capacity development for integrated border management (IBM) through exposure of the leadership of all agencies to European ‘best practices’ of IBM and specialized training on IBM and cross border cooperation. The program also aims to modernize and upgrade training facilities and to improve the working conditions at border crossing points on regional trade corridors.

CADAP is aimed to reduce drug trafficking, the EC launched its Central Asia Drug Action Programme (CADAP) in 2001. This program fosters a public health approach to drug demand and an interdiction approach to drug supply. It is implemented in conjunction with the BOMCA program and some activities (including provision of a drug detecting dog capacity) are interlinked.

Both programs are financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP.