On 15-16 April 2021, ICMPD facilitated a two-day international conference on enhancing interagency cooperation among the national integrated border management (IBM) agencies in Ukraine organised under the EU-funded project “EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine (EU4IBM)”.
The conference gathered the representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police, the State Border Guard Service and the State Customs Service of Ukraine to review and discuss the existing and potential mechanisms for coordination, information exchange and risk analysis in border management in Ukraine.
The forum allowed representatives of the national IBM agencies to take stock of the current situation in Ukraine and obtain up-to-date information on existing EU practices with particular focus on establishment and operation of the national IBM coordination centres. The participants got acquainted with benefits of relevant approaches, institutional mechanisms, technical solutions and good practices in the area of interagency cooperation at the EU and member states’ levels. Specific attention was paid to the current situation in the field of coordination and information exchange, risk analysis, preparation and use of joint analytical products and discussion of the opportunities they provide.
In addition to Ukrainian agencies, the conference was attended by representatives of the national coordination centres of EU member states, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine (EUAM), the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), other international and regional projects working on integrated border management. Together the participants reviewed the existing and potential mechanisms for coordination and information exchange in Ukraine and EU member states, discussed the challenges and successful experiences in establishing interagency cooperation, as well as shared their views on proposed solutions.
In the long run, the conference should facilitate practical decision making aimed at enhancing the existing system of interagency cooperation, coordination, information exchange and risk analysis in Ukraine.