On 6 and 7 December 2021 the Chief of the State Border Guard General Guntis Pujāts participated in the Regional Steering Group Meeting and Opening Conference of the 10th Phase of the Border Management Project in Central Asia (BOMCA 10) that was held in the the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek.
On Monday, 6 December, the first meeting of the BOMCA 10 Regional Steering Group took place, the main objectives of which were to provide information on the principles of project planning, implementation and monitoring, as well as to agree on the project work plan for 2022. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Central Asian beneficiaries and Consortium partners from the European Union (EU) countries, implementing the project.
On Tuesday, December 7, the opening conference highlighted the goals and strategies of the BOMCA 10 program. The opening conference was attended by representatives of Central Asian countries, EU delegations, embassies of EU Member States accredited to the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as international organizations.
BOMCA 10 is one of the most important EU-funded framework programs in Central Asia. It aims to enhance security, stability and sustainable growth in the region, and to support cross-border cooperation through integrated border management. The four priorities of the BOMCA 10 program include:
- institutional development of border control agencies;
- improving detection and investigation capabilities;
- the promotion of legitimate cross-border trade flows;
- improving the living conditions of people living in border areas, focusing on human rights, gender equality and vulnerable groups.