Tripoli, 23 February 2014:
The country’s border security is to be boosted by 1,072 young recruits who have just completed their basic military training.
At a graduation ceremony last week the cadets, aged 19 to 25, gave demonstrations of their newly-acquired skills, including marching drills and a martial arts display.
Director General of Libyan Customs Mustafa Turjman stressed the important role played by Customs in preventing smuggling and illegal migration. He thanked the EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM) for its support, especially in improving cooperation with the sister agencies of the Border Police, Border Guards and Coastguards.
“Customs have a central role, helping to promote the good – legitimate – trade, and the revenue it brings in for Government and preventing the bad – contraband, counterfeit, and smuggling,” said EUBAM Acting Head of Mission Peter Rundell.
The Libyan authorities have recently approved a joint EUBAM-Customs working group to look at a re-organisation of Libyan Customs. This group will review the current structure to see how it could be improved to benefit Libya’s safety, security and economic growth.
EUBAM Libya’s border management experts meet with members of the Libyan Customs, Border Police, Coastguard and Border Guard on a weekly basis. [/restrict]
