Vienna, Austria: ICMPD’s Regional Office for the Silk Routes Region, in cooperation with the Joint Operational Office on Combating human smuggling and human trafficking (JOO) of the Austrian Ministry of Interior (MOI) and Austrian Police Academy, was delighted to welcome representatives from Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Academy to Vienna on 11-15th October 2021 for a study visit.
The goal of the visit was to enhance international cooperation and build trust and confidence among law enforcement practitioners and explore the pathways for future cooperation to support Pakistani law enforcement bodies in expanding their capacities as well as exchange good practices on combating irregular migration, trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling. The programme also included sharing of practical solutions on effective border and migration management. In this regard the Pakistani delegation visited the Austrian–Hungarian border check point where they were introduced to, and witnessed, the existing system of border protection and border surveillance.
In sum, the study visit once again reinforced the development of the FIA Academy Strategic Plan in three main priority areas (training, human resources and infrastructure & finance). This also complements the vision of transforming the FIA Academy into a Centre of Excellence.