From 21-23 July, the BMSC, in co-operation with the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), organized a course on simplifying and harmonizing procedures for international trade. The workshop brought together 24 representatives of trade and transport ministries, customs agencies, businesses and technical assistance and inspection bodies from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The objective of the course was to support governments to reduce delays at border crossings and to streamline, simplify and automate customs clearance, transit, import and export procedures. The workshop covered topics included in the UNECE Trade Facilitation Implementation Guide and the OSCE-UNECE Handbook of Best Practices at Border Crossings – A Trade and Transport Facilitation Perspective. Participants were provided particular guidance regarding the implementation of the recent World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement and on developing a strategic approach to trade facilitation for trade and economic development. On 28 August, 20 border officers from Afghanistan and Tajikistan completed a ten-day border management awareness course at the BMSC. The training course was co-organized with the EU-funded, UNDP-implemented BOMNAF project. The course aimed to improve the knowledge of Afghan and Tajik border professionals on international standards and procedures for passport control and detection of imposters and contraband. It also included theory sessions and practical exercises on the nature and danger of transnational threats, information sharing and risk management, modern border control technologies, migration and refugees, anti-corruption, trafficking in human beings, human rights and gender issues, among other themes. From 15-18 September, the BMSC, in co-operation with DCAF, inaugurated their first oneyear course specially designed for mid- to senior-level officers, entitled “Border Security and Management for Senior Leadership” (BSMSL). The 25 participants represent border, customs, immigration, police, drug control, phyto-sanitary, and trade/transport services and agencies, along with experts and trainers from border-related institutions, from 12 countries. The aim of this course is to provide practitioners with new skills, to make them familiar with international standards and to achieve interoperability. The BSMSL includes classes on security challenges, leadership and management and trends in border security management, as well as field trips. The course also fosters international co-operation between border-related agencies in the participating States and Partners for Co-operation. The first module (face-to-face classroom studies) took place in Vienna on 1-12 December. Drug Trafficking On 27 February, the BMSC organized a round table discussion entitled “Drug Trafficking in the OSCE Region: Afghanistan in Focus”. Around 50 participants from the staff course, diplomats and representatives from governmental agencies and international organizations discussed strategies to combat drug trafficking originating from Afghanistan. Participants of the round table also discussed possible scenarios and security challenges for Afghanistan in light of the ISAF withdrawal. The speakers included, among others, representatives from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Afghanistan and several international organizations. From 30 June to 4 July, the BMSC organized a workshop on enhancing border security and countering illicit trafficking for 25 representatives of national border and drug control agencies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and staff of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. The event was organized in co-operation with the George C. Marshall European Centre for Security Studies. The inter-agency workshop enhanced the participants’ capabilities to effectively manage borders, combat illicit trafficking and address other transnational threats while promoting cross-border trade facilitation. The workshop provided insight on border security developments in Central Asia and focused on identifying ways to increase co-operation and co-ordination among the Central Asian states. 156