Minsk Hosts Training on IBM for Border Guards of Ukraine and Belarus
On 2-3 March 2017 Belarusian and Ukrainian border guards took part in the training “Smart Border – Best Experience and Practices in Integrated Border Management”
During the training participants learned best practices in the above mentioned filed from their Latvian and Finnish colleagues. In particular, participants discussed latest approaches and tendencies in use of automated border control systems at border check points and automated green and blue border surveillance systems.
Besides, within the framework of the training experts focused on such issues as cooperation with customs officers and representatives of other controlling agencies at the border check point, as well as cooperation and international cooperation on border issues with neighboring countries, FRONTEX and third-party countries. The training became a platform for experience exchange in the field of border contact point operation and use of the newest techniques for border control.
The training is organized within EU funded project “Strengthening Surveillance and Bilateral Coordination Capacity along the Common Border between Belarus and Ukraine” SURCAP Phase II implemented by the International organization for migration.
Background information:
The international technical assistance project “Strengthening surveillance and bilateral coordination capacity along the common border between Belarus and Ukraine, SURCAP Phase II” has been implementing from April 2014 and includes the following:
1. purchase of the equipment and its handover to the SBC and State Border Service of Ukraine (SBSU). The equipment that includes all-terrain cars, motorcycles, boats, radio communication centers and other items will serve for enhancement of the Belarus-Ukraine border control. The total amount spent on the equipment – 2 million Euro;
2. organization of Belarusian-Ukrainian joint study trips to EU countries and educational seminars on different aspects of the integrated border management and potential use of best practices of European border guard officers in the activities of Belarusian and Ukrainian border services;
3. establishment of the pilot Common Contact Point “Pinsk-Zhitomir”;
4. the total budget of the project is 5 350 000 Euro for two countries in equal proportions;
5. the project was co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign affairs of Romania, the International Organization for Migration, border services of Belarus and Ukraine.