Police Reform

Task Force meeting on the OSCE-Tajikistan

On 2 April 2014 the OSCE Office in Tajikistan (OiT) together with the Conflict Prevention Centre of the OSCE Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Republic of Tajikistan convened the Eighth Annual Joint Task Force in the premises of the OSCE OiT.

This meeting took place in Dushanbe in a round table format, where all partners of the OSCE OiT, i.e. the representatives of the following ministries, agencies and other relevant oorganizations have participated:

- Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan (RT);

- Majlisi Namoyandagon Majlisi Oli of RT;

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RT;

- Ministry of Internal Affairs of RT;

- Ministry of Defense of RT;

- Ministry of Education and Science of RT;

- Ministry of Justice of RT;

- State Committee on National Security of RT;

- General Prosecutor’s Office of RT;

- MIA Academy of RT;

- Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense under the Government of RT;

- State Committee on Religious issues under the Government of RT;

- Drug Control Agency under the President of RT;

- Customs Services of RT;

- Tajikistan National Mine Action Center;

- Public Council;

- Professional Development Centre for the staff of the General Prosecutor’s Office;

- National Guard of RT;

- Border Troops of RT;

- National Legislation Centre under the President of RT;

- Security Council of RT;

- Academy of Science of RT;

- NGO “Association of Tajik NGOs”;

- NGO “web-portal on Islamic news”;

- National Anti-corruption Council of RT;

- Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of RT;

- Ministry of Economy and Trade of RT;

- Ministry of Transport of RT;

- Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of RT;

- Ministry of Agriculture of RT;

- Ministry of Health of RT;

- Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment of RT;

- Ministry of Finance of RT;

- State Committee on Investment and State Property Management of RT;

- Agency for State Financial Control and Fight against Corruption of RT;

- Tax Committee of RT;

- Committee on Environment Protection of RT;

- Strategic Researches Center under the President of RT;

- Institute of Professional Development for Civil Servants of RT;

- Agency for Irrigation and Melioration of RT;

- NGO “Kuhiston”;

- NGO “Milal-Inter”;

- NGO “AMFOT”;

- NGO “Nisso”, Rasht;

- NGO “DEPAS”;

- NGO “Eurasia Foundation of CA”;

- NGO “Association of Power Engineers of RT”;

- “Youth of the 21 century”;

- Ministry of Culture of RT;

- The Human Rights Ombudsman;

- Committee on Women and Family Affairs of RT;

- State Communication Service of RT;

- Committee on Youth, Sports and Tourism of RT;

- State Committee on Television and Radio Broadcasting of RT;

- Central Commission on Elections and Referenda of RT;

- Council of Justice of RT;

- NGO “Human Rights Centre”;

- NGO “Nota Bene”;

- NGO “Center for Human Rights Protection”;

- NGO “National Association of independent Mass Media in the RT”;

- NGO “Women Association”;

- NGO “Association of Tajik journalists”;

- NGO “Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law”;

- NGO “Tajik Media Council”;

- NGO Women Resource Center for Vorukh Jamoat Support Centre;

- NGO Coalition: from de Jure to de Facto Equality;

- NGO “Najoti kudakon”, Public Association

and etc.

The objectives of the Eighth Annual Joint Task Force were the following:

- Summing up the OSCE activities during its presence in Tajikistan;

- Discussion of achievements from 2013 to 2014;

- Discussion and consolidation of joint priorities for 2015;

- Consideration of opportunities for long-term cooperation.

The OSCE was represented by:

- Ambassador Markus Mueller, the Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan;

- Ambassador Sanja Milinkovic, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Serbia to the OSCE and other organizations in Vienna;

- Rasa Ostrauskaite, Deputy Director of the OSCE Secretariat Conflict Prevention Center;

- Yashar Nafissi, First Secretary of the Swiss Chairmanship in the OSCE;

- Alexey Gromov, Election Adviser of the ODIHR;

- Andrei Muntean, Head of Economic Governance Unit/Senior Economic Adviser, OSCE Coordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities;

- Jonathan Trumble, representative of the Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat;

- Anne Suotula, Policy Support Officer of the Central Asia Desk, OSCE Secretariat;

- Program Managers of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

During the first session, Ambassador Markus Mueller the Head of the OSCE OiT made a welcome speech and presented the efforts of the Office to streamline projects and activities and to strengthen the consultative process.

At the second session, participants convened in three Working Groups: the politico-military dimension, the human dimension and the economic and environmental dimension, to provide more detailed discussion of the issues. Each Working Group had a Chair, Co-Chair and one rapporteur. Upon completion of the session the rapporteurs will report back to the plenary session, providing a summary of issues discussed. Each rapporteur will also deliver written summaries to the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) for the final report of the Eighth Annual Joint Task Force Meeting.

The Chair-Rapporteur of the politico-military dimension was Mr. Erdal Duzdaban Acting Head of Politico-Military Department of the OSCE OiT, and Co-Chair: Mr. Jonathan Trumble, Transnational Threats Department.

The discussion will focus on the following issues: transnational threats; police reform; counter-terrorism and violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT); counter-narcotics; the OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC); the implementation of a national border management strategy and strengthening border patrolling; regional engagement of demining; political dialogue and cooperation with Afghanistan, including the Chairmanship’s priorities and with respect to planning for 2015.

Mr. Ulf Billving Counter Terrorism and Police Advisor of the OSCE OiT made a detailed presentation on the progress of the OSCE OiT Counter Terrorism and Police Unit activities from 2010 to 2014. Then he shared the plans of this unit for 2015.

From partners, Ms. Zumrad Solieva – the Head of International Cooperation Directorate of Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan and at the same time the Police Reform Coordinator shared information about police reform process in Tajikistan. She thanked the OSCE OiT for the support and close cooperation. "It is easier to prevent a crime than to combat it," said Ms. Solieva.

Then the Heads of Political-Military Departments have answered to the partners’ questions.

During the Annual Meeting a photo session of all participants was organized.

In the evening, all guests are invited to a reception hosted by the OSCE OiT in honour of a successful meeting.