EU-BOMNAF EQUIPPING BORDER POLICE UNITS IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN

As well as infrastructure and training provision, UNDP’s EU-BOMNAF project also supplies the   Afghan Border Police with essential equipment to increase the efficiency and capacity of border police units on Afghanistan’s northern border. Items recently provided by the Project comprises communication, transportation and detection equipment, as well as personal tools and equipment for infrastructure facilities already built by the project.

In December 2016, two trucks, loaded with equipment for BOMNAF’s newly built ABP Battalion # 7 HQ and its mobile units, arrived at Chashmai Tut, in Khohon district. The equipment, which included furniture for the newly built Battalion HQ, kitchen equipment, office safes, hand tools, tents, folding beds, sleeping bags, folding chairs and tables, laptop computers and printers, binoculars and telescopes, range finders, GPS devices, etc. was unloaded in the drill area of the Battalion HQ, where it was counted, inspected and received by the ABP officers and chief of logistics from the 7^th Battalion.

EU-BOMNAF Project Manager, Mr William Lawrence, said: “the abilities of Afghanistan’s Border Police to patrol and secure the country’s northern border in this district is now very considerably improved”.

Colonel Roghistoni, the newly appointed Commander of the Chashmai Tut Battalion, who was away during the equipment delivery, thanked BOMNAF team during a phone conversation and said: “after my initial appointment I visited the old HQ facility at Chashmai Tut and was saddened to see that there was not even a proper chair to sit on.  The EU BOMNAF equipment is very practical and useful. It will help the Border Police to concentrate on their day-to-day functions efficiently.  I am looking forward to the official handover ceremony of the newly built and equipped facility, when I will be able to fully express my gratitude directly and officially to the EU-BOMNAF Project Team.”   

In December 2016, the project also provided equipment to Border Crossing Points at Sheghnan, Djomarji Bolo and Nusai.

The overall objective of the European Union's assistance to Afghanistan is to foster regional cooperation and enable Afghanistan to facilitate secure trade links within its neighbourhood, especially Central Asia. The BOMNAF project is a component of a larger Regional Cooperation Programme of assistance agreed between the European Union and the Government of Afghanistan, and complements other programmes in Afghanistan, in Tajikistan and in Central Asia.

UNDP is the implementing partner of the BOMNAF project.