Fields of work

Border management

Effective border management includes not only strengthening border security but also facilitating legitimate cross-border movement—two key areas of engagement for the OSCE.

Conference / meeting document

Border Security and Management Concept

6 December 2005

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Quick links

Our approach to security

Many factors can affect security and stability, often across borders, population segments or the OSCE’s three dimensions.

OSCE participating States are committed to keeping borders between them both open and secure: open to allow for the cross-border flow of legitimate trade and commerce, and secure in the sense that the national security interests of states are protected. They are the first lines of a country’s defence, and the movement of trade across them is critical to the health of economies across the globe. However, in the 21st century security threats have dramatically evolved and are not confined to national boundaries any longer. New criminal networks tend to be interconnected and organized, and the lines between crime and terrorism have become blurred.

Recognizing that border security and management is a matter of the national sovereignty and responsibility of States, the OSCE participating States reaffirm their commitment to promoting open and secure borders in a free, democratic and more integrated OSCE area without dividing lines.

Declaration on the Twentieth Anniversary of the OSCE Framework for Arms Control

Building on our comprehensive and co-operative approach to security, we work on strategies to tackle the issue head-on.

We are responding to these transnational threats with a comprehensive border management and security strategy that focuses on managing borders and keeping them secure; fighting terrorism; and building modern, democratic and efficient policing. At the same time, we are committed to achieving a balance between the need to maintain security against cross-border threats and the freedom of movement for persons, goods, services and investments. Co-operation among participating States is key for our strategy to work, in particular when it comes to such international risks as drug trafficking, terrorism, migration, transport security and organized crime.

Our institutions, field operations and offices bring to the task expert skills and knowledge to develop tailor-made solutions for each challenge.

Our institutions and offices

The Transnational Threats Department, part of the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, works to ensure better co-ordination, better coherence and more efficient use of the Organization’s resources to address challenges in this area, which includes border management and security. Since 2009, the OSCE also maintains a Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, which serves as a centre of excellence and training hub for all participating States to deliver expertise and best practices in this field.

A group of uniformed police officers standing in formation outdoors. They are dressed in black uniforms with peaked caps featuring silver emblems.

Homepage

Transnational Threats Department

The Department is the focal point for the OSCE’s action against transnational threats. It works on fighting terrorism, managing borders, strengthening cyber

External Link

Border Management Staff College

Trains senior border security and management officials

https//www.oscebmsc.org

Our operations on the ground

Several OSCE field operations support effective border management, including through maintaining a presence in border zones, supporting the co-operation and rapid information-sharing between border police and neighbouring country counterparts, and training border officials.