Border Management

From the outset, peace operations have been deployed on and around borders. Long-running UN missions like UNMOGIP in Kashmir and UNFICYP in Cyprus or the UN operation in Abyei (UNISFA) – in the border area between Sudan and South Sudan – monitor ceasefire lines or disputed border areas (>Monitoring and Verification). However, the current understanding of border management in peace operations goes beyond these traditional mandates. Today, peace operations participate actively in controlling and monitoring borders and in building capacity for border management and protection. They also conduct confidence-building measures in border areas.

Peace operations have been supporting national police and border services for quite some time through training in the field of border management and protection. For example, the UN missions in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and Timor-Leste (UNTAET) contributed to building national coast guards. Similarly, various OSCE and EU missions provide training and technical support to strengthen airport security, advance the prevention of illegal border crossings and improve the analysis of border incidents. The EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine helps to facilitate exports and trade by supporting border crossing points between Ukraine and Poland, Slovakia and Romania.

Among the oldest missions that are tasked with monitoring borders and buffer zones is UNFICYP in Cyprus (since 1964). Today the focus is on border management, examples include:

In an advisory capacity, the EU and the OSCE have introduced concepts of Integrated Border Management (IBM) from Kazakhstan to Libya. In Libya, this entailed comprehensive support measures for customs authorities, coast guard, border guards, the army and the navy. In the Central African Republic, MINUSCA supports the development of a national policy for border management. The OSCE Presence in Bishkek supports the Kyrgyz state border service in the area of transnational threats.

As a neutral body supporting the resumption of regular border traffic, EUBAM Rafah has conducted confidence-building, training and advisory measures at the border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt since 2005. At present, the OSCE mission in Skopje maintains a permanent presence in the border areas and supports the information exchange between the border police of North Macedonia and the authorities of the neighboring countries. The EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya also promotes regional approaches, such as the ‘One Desert Initiative’ that fosters cooperation among countries in the Sahel.

As of 17.08.2023

 

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