Container Control Programme strengthens the knowledge of Turkmen Customs officers in strategic trade and export control

Turkmen Customs officers, members of the Port Control Units (PCUs) of the International Customs Terminal in Ashgabat and Turkmenbashy International Seaport attended five-days online course aimed at raising the awareness, strengthening the knowledge and skills of SCST officers in strategic trade and export control as well as use of the modern Customs control techniques. The training was a follow-up to Online National Seminar on STEC – Phase 1 for Turkmenistan in 2020 and part of CCP Workplan of Distance Learning Activities for Turkmenistan for 2021.

During the opening speech Mr. Batyr Geldiyev, UNODC Regional Programme Coordinator mentioned that due to the spread of COVID-19 in the world, conducting full-time training within the framework of CCP is not possible and at the same time, in order to prevent the use of the cargo supply chain by organized criminal groups for illegal purposes and to ensure the continuity of the programme implementation, CCP worked out adapting its training strategy to the current situation by organizing: online training and remote mentorship.

During opening speech, Mr. Kerim Berdiyev, CCP National Focal Point from SCST Central Apparatus expressed his gratitude for CCP’s support and mentioned that despite the COVID-19 pandemic and drop in trade turnover in the region, the cooperation between PCU in Turkmenbashy International Seaport and Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan has increased significantly.

Guided by an experienced UNODC trainer the participants further enhanced their knowledge in illicit trade in strategic commodities as a security threat both nationally and internationally and an increasing challenge for Customs administrations across the globe. As a result of the training participants enhanced knowledge in risk profiling and identifying strategic goods as well as improved practical skills through the group exercises.