On 21 May 2026, the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 11) officially launched its 11th phase with an Opening Conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The event brought together more than 80 representatives of border and law enforcement agencies, government institutions from the five Central Asian countries, EU Delegations, international organisations, and implementing partners, who presented the Programme’s objectives, thematic priorities, and implementation approach.
BOMCA is the long-standing flagship EU-funded programme in the region. Implemented by a Consortium of partners led by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), BOMCA 11 aims to advance regional cross-border cooperation, tackle organised crime, and improve living conditions for the population in the border regions of Central Asia by applying an integrated border management approach and gender-balanced, human-rights-centred principles.
The project focuses on three thematic components: enhancing institutional capacity and border procedures, addressing cross-border threats, and fostering engagement with border communities, and covers five countries of the region – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Programme started on 1 February 2026 and will run for 40 months, with a total budget of EUR 12 million.
In his opening remarks, Mr Eduards Stiprais, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in addressing shared challenges and ensuring long-term stability and security in Central Asia. He also noted that BOMCA very well represented the spirit of EU–Central Asia cooperation, which aimed to facilitate regional integration.
As the lead partner of the Programme, ICMPD will coordinate the overall implementation of BOMCA 11 together with consortium partners, building on more than two decades of cooperation with Central Asian governments and institutions, and will lead the border community engagement component, contributing to local economic development and trust-building.
Mr Nicola Graviano, Deputy Director for Migration Dialogues and Cooperation at ICMPD, underlined the Programme’s long-term strategic value for the region:
Since 2003, the BOMCA Programme has played a key role in building sustainable partnerships with the governments of Central Asia and fostering cooperation among the five Central Asian countries to support regional stability and security. BOMCA has been instrumental in promoting the exchange of good practices from EU Member States, including the application of integrated border management principles and the alignment of border control procedures with international standards.
Starting from 2004, ICMPD has actively participated in the implementation of the programme by providing thematic expertise and facilitation. As of 2015, it has become an integral part of the implementing consortium for phase 9 alongside EU Member States. Leveraging its extensive thematic knowledge in migration and border management across diverse geographical regions, in the 10th phase, ICMPD has assumed a leadership role in the innovative thematic component aimed at enhancing cross-border cooperation. The current phase, led by ICMPD, will build on the achievements and results of previous activities and continue to support cross-border cooperation and improve the living conditions of people residing in the border regions of Central Asia.
In addition to its role in BOMCA, ICMPD implements other initiatives in Central Asia, including Migrant Resource Centres in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and, recently in Uzbekistan, supporting safe and informed migration, as well as facilitating intergovernmental dialogues, including the Budapest Process and the Prague Process.
