On 5 September 2025, the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10) marked the completion of its 10th phase with a Closing Conference held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The conference served as the final milestone in the Programme’s journey, drawing conclusions, reviewing achievements and discussing the future direction of EU–Central Asia cooperation in the field of border management. The event gathered more than 100 high-level representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and national agencies of the five Central Asian countries, the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic, EU Member States’ embassies, international organisations and the BOMCA Consortium and Associate Partners.

Opening the conference, representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Central Asian states, together with the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic, underlined the symbolic significance of this event.  

“The EU has provided over 20 years European best practices on border management to the 5 Central Asian countries and we have seen enormous progress in terms of management and use of technology. We will continue to provide European and international know-how to strengthen security and cooperation in the region”, said Hans Farnhammer, Chargé d'affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic.

General Guntis Pujāts, BOMCA 10 Project Coordinator and Chief of the State Border Guard of Latvia, reflected on the Programme’s achievements: “BOMCA 10 has been one of the most ambitious phases of the Programme, and also one of the most impactful. With over 7,000 participants involved and hundreds of strategic and practical documents developed, this phase has brought real, tangible change to border management in Central Asia. It stands as proof that regional cooperation and modern technologies can deliver lasting results, strengthening security and building trust across the region. For the BOMCA 10 implementing partners, it has been a privilege to contribute to these important achievements and to witness the progress made together”.

The conference featured a helicopter overview of results and zoomed into achievements under all four thematic areas of the project. Beneficiary institutions from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan shared practical examples of how BOMCA recommendations have been applied in daily operations - strengthening national border management systems, enhancing regional coordination and fostering cooperation among communities.

Building on the foundations laid by BOMCA 10, Central Asian countries are well positioned to advance border governance, foster economic development and strengthen regional cooperation. As BOMCA finalised its latest phase, the European Union has reaffirm its strong commitment to continue cooperation with the region and announced that upcoming next phase of this flagship initiative.