KAZAKHSTAN: FY 2009 PROJECT PROPOSALS

UNCLAS ASTANA 001768 SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/AAE, SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR SOCI KCRM KTIP KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: FY 2009 PROJECT PROPOSALS REF: STATE 053351 ¶1. Embassy Astana submits the following proposals for FY 2009/2010 FSA funding for counter-narcotics, border security, drug-demand reduction, and anti-trafficking in persons programs. Responses are keyed to paragraph 19 of the reftel. ¶2. All projects proposed directly respond to targets established in Post's MSP. A.1 Counter-Narcotics Increasing Counter-Narcotics Capacity; $200,000; priority one of four projects. B.1 Background The Government of Kazakhstan has worked closely with the United States to fight narco-trafficking and wants to continue its close cooperation. INL provides support to equip and renovate the Ministry of Interior's Interagency Counter-narcotics Training Center (CN Training Center). Kazakhstan has welcomed INL Astana's provision of training programs for the counter-narcotics divisions of its law enforcement agencies. In recognition of the need for transnational solutions to transnational crime, the Embassy also works closely with the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC) in Almaty. Post believes that close cooperation with CARICC will provide the CN Training Center with the most up-to-date information and trends on drug trafficking. The administration of the CN Training Center is eager to work with the United States and CARICC to provide a regional training program at the Center. Funding will be used to continue to encourage close regional cooperation and fund conferences and training sessions. INL programs also focus on establishing professional relationships between law enforcement agencies in Kazakhstan and their counterparts in the United States and elsewhere. Post has previously funded the travel of mid-level managers to the Turkish Academy on Combating Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC),as well as to the Austrian Ministry of Interior's Canine Center in Bad Kreuzen. Funding will be used to support study tours and participation of Kazakhstan officials at international counter-narcotics strategy meetings. C.1 Goals - To diversify training capabilities of the law enforcement academies; - To encourage increased regional and international cooperation, including cooperation with U.S. counterparts; - To provide necessary training sessions in operations and investigations; D.1 Project Description ; D.1.1 ($70,000) Training classes will be provided to operations and investigation officers throughout the country. Best practices will be presented in the areas of analysis of operative information, controlled deliveries training events, investigative techniques, and other practical training programs in drug search, detection and identification. The project will also provide training sessions for trainers of the CN Training Center and other law enforcement training centers and academies. D.1.2 ($40,000) INL will continue to fund the participation of canine specialists in a counter-narcotics canine training program at the Austrian Ministry of Internal Affairs' Canine Training Center in Bad Kreuzen and other locations. D.1.3 ($50,000) Specialized equipment will be provided to counter-narcotics divisions and the CN Training Center to strengthen their capacity to detect and identify drugs. D.1.4 ($40,000) INL will continue to fund participation of Kazakhstani officials at counter-narcotics strategy meetings with U.S. counterparts. The funds may also be used to provide information about counter-narcotics legislation and operations in other countries. E.1 Performance indicators - Increases in the seizures of illegal narcotics and the number of counter-narcotics cases opened and successfully investigated. - An increase in narcotics seizures using canines. - The revision and/or update of the strategy for United States-Kazakhstan counter-narcotics cooperation. F.1 Sustainability F.1.1 Kazakhstan recognizes the need to continuously train its counter-narcotics divisions. The instructors of the CN Training Center Interagency Counter-narcotics Training Center, as well as from other law-enforcement training centers, often request training programs on professional subjects. F.1.2 Those trained at the Austrian Ministry of Internal Affairs' Canine Training Center successfully conduct training programs at their agencies. Through this program, INL intends to increase the number of instructors trained in Austrian methodology. Kazakhstan is also developing a textbook to train canine specialists, including chapters on the Austrian methods. Additional information on training methods in other countries is also necessary to increase the effectiveness of Kazakhstani methods. F.1.3 Samples of specialized equipment at the CN Training Center will allow operations officers to be trained and be more effective in the field. F.1.4 Kazakhstan is committed to cooperation with the United States to fight narcotics trafficking. Conferences and strategy meetings serve to increase cooperation with the United States and other countries. G.1 Timeline G.1.1 Training program for operations and investigating officers: 12-18 months. G.1.2 Training program for canine instructors: 12 months. G.1.3 Specialized equipment: 12 months. G.1.4 Conferences and strategy meetings: 12 months. H.1 Evaluation INL Officer and/or Program Managers attend training events, which gives them an opportunity to evaluate the trainers, curriculum, and training sites. INL also conducts end-use monitoring during training sessions, meetings, and other visits. A.2 Border Security Border Security; $100,000; priority two of four projects. B.2 Background INL Astana has both equipped border posts and regional training centers and provided training classes for border guards. INL funded exchange programs and study tours for trainers at the Military Institute of the Committee for National Security (Military Institute) and Border Guard Service (BGS) training centers. A sustainable project was conducted jointly with the Department of Canine and Cavalry Training of the Military Institute. Canine instructors received a train-the-trainer course and started to conduct training courses for their cadets based on the newly acquired knowledge. An administrative building and veterinary clinic for canines were renovated, but need further support. A training center was equipped for the Border Guard Aviation Division in Astana to allow for specialized training sessions of border guards that work at the international airport. A language lab and English language software were provided to the Military Institute, and INL plans to continue support for English language instruction. Previous interactions between the BGS and its U.S. counterparts have led to close cooperation and mutual understanding. This cooperation will be furthered not only by projects in the border security area, but also by counter-narcotics strategy meetings (D.1.4). C.2 Goal - To increase training capacity for the BGS. - To increase language skills of the BGS. - To increase the cooperation between the BGS and the United States D.2 Project Description D.2.1 ($30,000) Training courses will be provided to border guard personnel in the areas of border control and counter-narcotics. Training courses will also be conducted on any equipment provided by INL. D.2.2 ($25,000) Specialized canine training courses will be provided for canine instructors of the Customs Control Committee, BGS, and Military Institute. D.2.3 ($25,000) English language training courses will be provided to the English language instructors and cadets at the Military Institute. D.2.4 ($20,000) INL will support participation of the BGS and the Military Institute in the counter-narcotics strategy meetings. E.2 Performance Indicators - An increase in narcotics seizures. - An increase in the number of instructors and cadets with English-language proficiency. F.2 Sustainability F.2.1 Training courses on equipment will be provided at the main border guard training centers. Those that participate in training activities will be able to train others at their posts. F.2.2 Through training courses in the canine area, Post is increasing the number of canine instructors. F.2.3 Through the train-the-trainer courses, Post will increase the language instruction capacity of the BGS. Cadets trained by these instructors will be able to participate in exchange programs supported by INL. G.2 Timeline G.2.1 Training program: 12 months. G.2.2 Training program in the canine area: 12 months. G.2.3 English-language program: 12 months. H.2 Evaluation INL Officer and/or Program Managers attend training events, which gives them an opportunity to evaluate the trainers, curriculum, and training sites. INL also conducts end-use monitoring during training sessions, meetings, and other visits. A.3 Trafficking in Persons Countering Trafficking in Persons; $75,000; priority three of four projects. B.3 Background Over the past year, Kazakhstan increased its efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers. It has also increased funding for public awareness efforts. The primary weaknesses, identified in the trafficking in persons report, were victim identification and victim protection programs. INL has previously focused primarily on prosecution and prevention, which have significantly improved. These programs provided in-service training courses for police and established an anti-trafficking training center. Prosecutors, judges, and NGOs have also been trained. INL-sponsored liaison meetings have increased cooperation between Kazakhstan and destination countries. Since 2008, INL has funded meetings and study tours to promote victim assistance and protection and provided grants to local NGOs to conduct public outreach and awareness programs. All of these programs require further development and implementation. Given the shortcomings identified in the latest trafficking in persons report and the need to improve victim protection, INL Astana will develop and implement a victim advocacy program to ensure victim safety and cooperation during investigations and trials. The College of Advocates is Kazakhstan's defense attorney bar association. Members of the defense bar are required to provide pro bono services and are court-appointed through a schedule maintained by the College of Advocates. Kazakhstani law requires that a defendant have an attorney before trial begins, but does not provide an attorney-advocate for victims. A victim or the police, on behalf of the victim, can ask for a court-appointed attorney-advocate through the College; however, the advocates are not always effective, because they were not trained. Therefore, a NGO lawyer, social worker, or psychologist better represent most victims of trafficking in court. C.3 Goals - To promote victim assistance and protection. - To increase Kazakhstan's capacity to successfully investigate and prosecute traffickers. D.3 Project Description ($75,000) INL, working jointly with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the College of Advocates (the Kazakhstani defense attorney bar association),and NGOs, will implement a victim advocacy program to train defense attorneys who act as advocates for victims of trafficking during investigations and trials. This program will ensure the safety of victims and improve cooperation with police, which will lead to successful investigations and convictions of traffickers. International expert assistance can be provided to conduct an assessment of advocacy legislation and provide recommendations necessary amendments to strengthen victim advocacy laws. The program may also include curriculum development and the incorporation of victim advocacy in law schools. E.3 Performance Indicators - An increase in the number of attorney-advocates appointed. - An increase in the number of successful investigations and prosecutions. F.3 Sustainability Kazakhstan is well aware that victim protection is an identified weakness. It is willing to improve in this area. Kazakhstan is improving legislation to ensure access of all citizens to qualified legal assistance and is strengthening the role of advocates in the legal process. Identifying and training a group of attorney-advocates who will represent victims in court will also strengthen victim advocacy. As victims feel protected and more comfortable participating in investigations and testifying, successful prosecutions of traffickers will increase. G.3 Timeline Training program: 12 months. H.3 Evaluation INL Officer and/or Program Managers attend training events, which gives them an opportunity to evaluate the trainers, curriculum, and training sites. NGOs are also required to submit reports following their activities. A.4 Drug Demand Reduction Program Drug Demand Reduction Program in Schools; $50,000; priority four of four projects. B.4 Background In 2009, the Government of Kazakhstan demonstrated its commitment to drug prevention through an unprecedented increase of the budget for the implementation of the 2009-2011 Anti-Drug Strategy. This strategy provides for police inspectors in schools throughout the country and an increase in information campaigns. The Ministry of the Education and Science is seeking to implement the best international practices of drug prevention and, during the first meeting with INL Astana, requested a drug demand reduction training program for school officials. According to the results of the survey commissioned by INL during fiscal year 2009, teachers and parents are the primary sources of anti-drug information. Given this information, INL would like to increase parent and teacher capacity through training courses and encouraging greater parental involvement. C.4 Goals - To train school officials and police inspectors to better inform students of the dangers of drug use and strategies for preventing drug addiction. - To give parents the tools to prevent drug use by their children. - To build cooperation among parents, school officials, and police. D.4 Project Description ($50,000) INL will jointly implement the program with the Ministry of Education and Science and other relevant agencies to train school officials and police inspectors and trainers to educate their colleagues in the regions. Additionally, the project will encourage active parental involvement in drug prevention and cooperation among parents, school officials, and police. The project will fund information campaigns, educational materials, and seminars and training events to increase public information and resources devoted to drug prevention. E.4 Performance Indicators - An increase in the usage of effective drug prevention programs in schools. - A decrease in the number of registered drug addicts under the age of 18. F.4 Sustainability In addition to materials developed in earlier INL projects and by the Government of Kazakhstan, training sessions and seminars will result in the development of additional materials and methodologies that can be incorporated into future programs. Trained trainers will spread drug demand reduction techniques throughout the country. G.4 Timeline Training program: 12 months. H.4 Evaluation INL Officer and/or Program Managers attend training events, which gives them an opportunity to evaluate the trainers, curriculum, and training sites. NGOs are also required to submit reports following their activities. HOAGLAND