The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has reinforced its commitment to enhancing law enforcement collaboration across Central Asia through the 2025 Regional Meeting of Heads of Law Enforcement and Security Co-operation Departments (HoLEDs), held on June 4–5 in Dushanbe.

Jointly organized by the OSCE Secretariat and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, the meeting brought together senior law enforcement officials from all five Central Asian OSCE field operations, along with international partners including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Central Asia Drug Action Programme (CADAP 7).

The two-day forum served as a key platform for dialogue on shared security challenges such as illicit drug trafficking, the misuse of small arms and light weapons, and the promotion of community policing. The discussions focused on improving regional coordination, sharing operational best practices, and enhancing the capacity of national police services to address transnational threats.

In her opening address, Tatiana Turcan, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, underlined the importance of such regional gatherings. “It’s also an opportunity to exchange professional experiences and to discuss challenges in the region,” she said.

Umberto Severini, Head of the Strategic Police Matters Unit at the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, added, “This forum plays a crucial role in enhancing the co-ordination between the TNTD/Strategic Police Matters Unit, the OSCE Central Asia field operations, and our wider network of international partners.”

Participants took part in a field visit to a Mobile Police Reception (MPR) unit — a key component of Tajikistan’s ongoing police reform efforts supported by the OSCE — to observe how community-based policing models are being applied in practice. Training sessions also included discussions on the implementation of ongoing projects, highlighting both successes and obstacles.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmed commitment to regional cooperation in law enforcement, emphasizing the OSCE’s role in supporting member states to strengthen security, build institutional resilience, and foster trust between police and communities across Central Asia.

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