During 11-22 March, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), delivered a two-week training course for the staff of the Border Police under the auspices of the new project, funded by the US State Department’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program.

Mr. Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Ms. Karen Chaisson, EXBS Advisor in the US Embassy and Mrs. Sanja Celebic Lukovac, Chief of Mission at IOM Georgia attended the opening of the capacity building project in Tbilisi.

The training sessions took place in Tbilisi and Batumi, led by the Greek Border Police officers, who have been invited to share their expertise in relevant topics of border security and managing external borders.

The training events, involved 85 border guards and commanders from the Border Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia, representing regional border divisions and sectors. These customized courses included theoretical aspects and interactive practical sessions, as well as field exercises conducted in green border areas. The content of training activities covered important areas such as border surveillance tactics, interdiction operations, command and control of border sections, use of technological solutions in green border security, optimization and efficient utilization of resources, and etc.

The project named - Strengthening Operational and Tactical Interdiction Capabilities of Border Police of Georgia (SOTIC) started in October 2023. The project aims to enhance border-security oriented skills of border officials in key areas, to better cope with increasing cross-border challenges with an objective of combating criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings, smuggling of goods and other forms of transnational crime.