Amongst other important issues, participants discuss Integrated Border Management (IBM) methodologies, border management strategies, IBM training standards and cross-border cooperation in Central Asia.

Effective border security, facilitation of licit trade and transit, and the fight against drugs trafficking are major challenges for Central Asian countries, and their effects have a direct impact on the European Union (EU) and its 27 Member States.

CABSI brings together EU Member States led by Austria, including Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Croatia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, and the USA as an associate partner, the European Commission, UNDP, ICMPD, other International Organisations with representatives of the countries of the Central Asian region.

The aim of CABSI is to steadily develop a comprehensive and sustainable integrated border management approach in Central Asia in order to improve border security, facilitate trade and promote economic development. The approach will greatly contribute to the prosperity, stability and security in Central Asia, and supports the EU Strategy in Central Asia.

More than 100 delegates from Central Asia and Europe, including representatives of the OSCE, UNODC, IOM, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, China and other key stakeholders participate in the Conference.

Mr. Herbert Anderl, Director General for Public Security, Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior, Mr. Dirk Meganck, Director of the Asia and Central Asia Directorate of EuropeAid of the European Commission, Ms. Anita Nirody, Resident Representative of UNDP Uzbekistan, together with Mr. Bakhtiyor Islamov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs co-chair the conference.

Within the framework of the EU-UNDP BOMCA assistance programme, the European Union helps in fostering institutional reform in border management, strengthening training capacities in Central Asia and supporting the improvement of infrastructure along the trade and transit corridors in Central Asia.

The BOMCA assistance programme is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNDP. Since 2004, BOMCA has become one of the biggest EU assistance programmes in Central Asia. The programme’s accumulated budget in 2003-2010 amounts to € 25.655 million. UNDP co-funds the programme with € 2.05 million.