The first of a two-day international conference on Integrated Border Management, organised by the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) to Moldova and Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, got underway at the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in Khmelnitskiy yesterday.

Over 160 researchers, university lecturers and senior border professionals from Ukraine, CIS countries and EU Member States are attending the conference – ‘Integrated Border Management (IBM): Theory and Practice’ – in order to address issues such as integrated border management principles, strategic planning and practical implementation of the IBM concept, mechanisms of border cooperation and coordination, as well as human recourses management and the use of the latest technologies in border management.

Apart from EUBAM, there is significant representation from international organisations at the conference, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM.) Liaison officers and military attaches from diplomatic missions accredited in Ukraine are also present.

The Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Dr Mykola Lytvyn, and the Head of EUBAM, Mr Udo Burkholder, opened the conference.

Mr Burkholder told the delegates: “A critical part of a comprehensive approach is exploring content, principles and mechanisms of Integrated Border Management. Without a deep knowledge of the theory, the practice will suffer from misunderstanding and misinterpretation. To avoid this, there is a strong need to exchange experience and share views, for which this conference offers an excellent platform.”

Delegates were also given a walking tour of the campus of the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine by its Rector, Mr Valeriy Rayko. This is the third such IBM conference to be organised by EUBAM, following similar events in Kiev (2009) and Chisinau (2010).