The outcomes of the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) and the Central Asian Drug Action Programme (CADAP) initiated by the European Commission and the role of the Government of Turkmenistan in implementing the programmes were a focus of the reporting conference in Ashgabat. The conference brought together the officers of the State Border Guard Service and the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan, the UNDP experts accredited to Ashgabat and the European Union representatives and the journalists.

Adding the conference the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of France to Turkmenistan, Head of the EU Mission to Turkmenistan emphasized that the problems of drug trafficking and drug abuse challenged the world nowadays requiring the new effective and adequate approaches. Those problems could be tackled through concerting efforts.

In this context emphasis was put on the need for co-operation of Turkmenistan, the UN Development Programme and the European Union. Addressing the conference UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ashgabat Inita Paulovich emphasized that neutral Turkmenistan was profoundly contributing to maintenance of peace, stability and security in the region actively collaborating with the United Nations Organisation. That was vividly evidenced by close partnership with the State Coordination Commission for Drugs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.

The wide information on the short-term projects and action plans within the BOMCA/CADAP programmes was provided to the participants. The large-scale project was construction a check point in Kunya Urgench on the Turkmen-Uzbek border. The check pint would be put into operation in 2008.

Those speaking at the conference called for further intensification of effective partnership of Turkmenistan, the United Nations and European Union in strengthening security and combating illicit drug abuse and drug trafficking.