(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
US Ambassador Lee Litzenberger joined Deputy Chairman of the
State customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan Major General
Javad Gasimov on May 15 to review an English-language training
computer lab and training materials that the U.S. Department of
Defense has donated to the State Customs Committee.
This equipment is one part of an ongoing program of security
assistance the U.S. Department of Defense has provided to
Azerbaijan since 2019 in support of counter-trafficking, border
security, and maritime security efforts.
The equipment the U.S. Ambassador reviewed during his visit to
the State Customs Committee Academy is part of more than USD 30
million provided to the State Customs Committee through the Title
10 Section 333 Building Partner Capacity program to secure
Azerbaijan's borders. Since 2019, the U.S. Department of Defense
has committed approximately USD 90 million worth of assistance to
Azerbaijan security forces to counter illicit trafficking and stop
smugglers from violating Azerbaijan's borders.
Ambassador Litzenberger remarked during the visit that the U.S.
Embassy has built a strong relationship with the State Customs
Committee. This visit highlighted the importance of assisting the
State Customs Committee to bolster its human capacity as well as
its equipment resources. Ambassador Litzenberger said:“Narcotics
smugglers and others seeking to threaten Azerbaijan's population by
bringing illicit goods into the country are a constant problem,
especially at the southern border with Iran. Our Department of
Defense, along with other U.S. law enforcement agencies, like the
Drug Enforcement Administration, have worked with the SCC and other
border security agencies here to help ensure that they have the
training they need to defeat the constant threats Azerbaijan faces
along its borders.”
“We are gratified by the State Customs Committee's efforts to
train and educate Azerbaijan's border security workforce. We have
several English-language training programs in Azerbaijan, and I am
proud that we can add this new facility to the list, as one more
step in the 30-year relationship between the United States and
Azerbaijan. This country's strategic importance makes it a natural
partner for the United States in the region and we welcome the
opportunity to assist security forces to face our shared threats,”
Ambassador Litzenberger added
Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee Major General
Javad Gasimov welcomed the Ambassador and spoke about the
importance of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States
in customs procedures and training. He thanked the United States
for the training provided to Azerbaijani customs officers including
in the United States and for the English language lab and training
materials provided by the United States
Vice Rector of the State Customs Academy Jamiliya Namazova
welcomed the guests and briefed the Ambassador about the Academy's
activities, highlighting the importance of the U.S. provided
English language training for Azerbaijani customs officers.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Attaché Joshua Evans also
participated in the visit and emphasized his organization's
cooperation with the Government of Azerbaijan and the U.S.
Department of Defense. Evans stated,“As part of our ongoing work
in Azerbaijan, the DEA is proud to work closely with the Government
of Azerbaijan and the U.S. Department of Defense to continue the
counter narcotics fight. Azerbaijan is a key partner for the DEA
and we look forward to a continued relationship.”
The U.S. Department of Defense contributes to capacity building
with partners around the world to defeat the illicit trafficking of
goods, people, narcotics, and weapons. The U.S. European Command's
Joint Interagency Counter Trafficking Center and U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration cooperate to design programs for the
U.S. Embassy that support Azerbaijan's efforts to counter illicit
trafficking and protect its population from transnational threats,
organized crime, and violent extremism.
The U.S. Department of Defense has been an active partner with
the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and
other border security organizations, since 2002. The donation of
equipment and training from the U.S. Department of Defense since
2019 strengthens border security capabilities and assists the State
Customs Committee in stopping the harmful impact of narcotics and
other materials smuggled into or through Azerbaijan.
Tags:
- Azerbaijan
- US
- State Customs Committee (SCC) of Azerbaijan
- Lee Litzenberger
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