Turkmenistan has strengthened its efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW), ammunition, and explosives through an OSCE-organized training course held in Ashgabat from July 1 to 4.

The training, conducted by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in cooperation with the Conflict Prevention Centre and the Forum for Security Co-operation of the OSCE Secretariat, aimed to build the institutional capacity of Turkmenistan’s border, customs, police, and other law enforcement agencies.

Participants received in-depth instruction on identifying, documenting, and tracing SALW and ammunition, with a focus on post-seizure procedures. The course also introduced the Frontex Handbook on Firearms and highlighted international and European best practices in countering arms trafficking at borders.

“As the largest regional security organization in the world, representing one billion people, the OSCE supports all 57 participating States in improving comprehensive security,” said William Leaf, Acting Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “Illicit trafficking and the uncontrolled spread of SALW and explosives remain major threats across the region, and frontline officers are essential in mitigating these risks.”

International experts from the German Bundeswehr Verification Centre (BwVC), Interpol, and the OSCE Secretariat led practical, example-based sessions tailored to real-world border control scenarios. The training emphasized cooperation between border guards and customs services to improve threat detection and response.

The initiative was part of the Centre’s extrabudgetary project “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan,” funded by the Government of Germany. The program reflects the OSCE’s ongoing commitment to supporting participating states in addressing transnational security challenges and preventing the spread of illicit arms.