Contact point “Pinsk-Zhytomyr” Launched in Pinsk

On the 1st of June, 2017, Pinsk hosted the official ceremony on launch of the common contact point “Pinsk-Zhytomyr”, established within the framework of EU-funded project “Strengthening surveillance and bilateral coordination capacity along the common border between Belarus and Ukraine, SURCAP Phase II”, implemented by IOM Missions in Belarus and Ukraine, the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus and the State Border Service of Ukraine.

Representatives of border agencies of the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine, EU Delegation in Belarus and IOM Mission in Belarus took part in the ceremony.

Common contact point is one of the key elements of integrated border management (IBM) system, aimed at enhancement of effectiveness of border control and combating transnational threats. Immediate information exchange, the possibility to organize both audio- and videoconferences will allow responding quickly to emerging threats to ensure border security in the region.

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 implemented during the period from April 2014 till March 2017 and included the following:

  1. during 2015-2016 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”;
  1. The total budget of the project is 5 350 000 Euro for two countries in equal proportions. The project was co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign affairs of Romania, the International Organization for Migration, border services of Belarus and Ukraine.

For additional information:

The International Organization for Migration, Mission in the Republic of Belarus:Olga Borzenkova, Public Information Assistant, tel.: +375 17 288 27 42; mob. tel.: +375 29 648 48 27, e-mail: oborzenkova@iom.int

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