EUAM Iraq organized a benchmarking trip to Finland for high-ranking officials from border management agencies in the Ministry of the Interior.

The visit focused on inter-agency cooperation in Finland, especially between the police, customs and border guards, which has a long tradition in the country. The Iraqi experts were given an insight into the border control arrangements at the Finnish Border Guard headquarters and visited the Ministry of the Interior, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Helsinki Police Authority.

The practical part of the trip took place at the Southeast Finland Border Guard  District and at the Border and Coast Guard Academy in Imatra. They attended a demonstration of the use of force and tactical driving training for border guards. In addition, they observed the activities of border patrols, canine units, and learned about the new border fence built on the eastern border along with its surveillance technology. 

Although the natural and climate conditions significantly differ between Finland and Iraq, the tasks of border authorities are largely similar as we protect our countries from transboundary organized crime. The benchmarking trip provided a good model for cooperation between the police, customs, and border guard, which the Iraqis can also choose to utilize in their own country in the future," stated the Senior Strategic Advisor on Border Management at EUAM Iraq.