Archived Document
Priority 4. Enhance border security, with facilitation of bilateral dialogue between Afghan and Pakistani authorities.
Regarding border security, Canada’s objective for 2011 is that Afghan institutions, in cooperation with Pakistan, will exercise stronger capacity to manage the border and foster economic development in the border area.
Canada is part of a concerted effort by the international community to improve the security of Afghanistan’s borders through dialogue, training and infrastructure. Pivotal to this effort is Canada’s facilitation of the Dubai Process, a series of working group meetings aimed at enhancing cooperation between senior border management officials from the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Progress has been made on Dubai Process commitments, including the inauguration by Pakistan of its Border Liaison Office at the Torkham crossing in the Khyber Pass. A Border Liaison Office had previously been opened on the Afghan side of the border; both will support better coordination between counter-narcotics and law enforcement officials from both countries. Trainers from the U.K.’s Serious Organised Crime Agency and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime conducted an exercise in February as a result of the Dubai Process efforts to promote strategic and tactical cooperation between Afghan and Pakistani counter-narcotics and border officials. In total, nine officers were trained as part of this exercise.
Discussions with the Government of Afghanistan continued in this quarter to secure a site for the Weish border facility and customs house. The facility will enhance Afghanistan’s capacity to manage immigration and customs processes, harness new streams of revenue, and help regulate the flow of commerce and people at the border crossing point. It will be built with U.S. funds following the Canadian-funded feasibility study, a social infrastructure development study and an unexploded ordnance survey.
