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OSCE continues to train border guards on document security in Kazakhstan

Summary

A five-day second stage of the OSCE-supported train-the-trainer course on detecting forged travel documents and identification techniques for 20 border service officers concluded in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 2 August 2019.

Experts from the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior developed a tailored programme for Kazakhstan’s officers of the National Security Committee’s Border Service. Participants continued learning about security features introduced into paper, security inks and different printing and personalization techniques. Experts presented some 80 samples of real and forged travel documents for the participants to analyse and assess its authenticity.

During a practical exercise the participants developed a system for alerting their colleagues to counterfeited travel documents.

Experts provided the participants with illuminated magnifiers, USB-digital microscopes and a Docubox device to allow the border control officers to apply their acquired skills. In addition to learning best practices in document verification, the future instructors were given guidance and practiced their skills on how to best teach these concepts to others. The seminar will be supplemented by another one-week course to complete the trainers’ preparation.

The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in co-operation with the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Programme of the United States Embassy in Nur-Sultan, the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), and the Border Guard Service under the National Security Committee. The training course was supported by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department’s Travel Document Security Programme.