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In line with the Agenda for Change and the Development Cooperation Instrument, the EU regional programme 2014-2020 aims at supporting a broad-based process of dialogue and collaboration between Central Asia countries, promoting an environment conducive to a non-confrontational approach within the region, notably in areas sensitive for overall political and social stability.

Since border security is one of the key elements for stability of the whole region, in 2002 the EU developed a special Programme, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA), aimed at enhancing security, fighting against illegal trafficking and facilitating trade in Central Asia. Since its launch in 2003, the BOMCA Programme has implemented phases targeting capacity building and institutional development, developing trade corridors, improving border management systems and eliminating drug trafficking across the Central Asia region. Each new phase of BOMCA was designed to gradually continue the Actions implemented during the preceding phases of the Programme. During its earlier phases, the Programme focused its resources on creating a modern border management infrastructure equipped with the latest equipment. The latest BOMCA phase aimed especially at strengthening institutional reform and enhancing professional skills. The last phase (9th) of BOMCA intends to continue interventions in the areas of institution development, management of migration flows and trade facilitation. It began on June 2015 for a duration of 36 months.

The Central Asia Drug Action Plan (CADAP), existing since 2003, has been structured in three pillars: Assisting countries in CA in reviewing national drug strategies action plans and drug legislation; supporting the countries in acquiring a comprehensive approach in terms of date collection; supporting drug demand reduction. The last CADAP (6th) supports the drug demand aspect of a balanced drug policy in line with the EU Drug Strategy 2013-2020 and the EU Central Asia Drug Action Plan 2014-2020 and assists the Central Asian governments in strengthening the capacity of national agencies to deal with the drug phenomenon in a comprehensive, integrative, and sustainable manner. All programme activities under CADAP 6 focus both on national and regional capacity building by providing policy advice and technical assistance, monitoring of the drugs situation, prevention, drug treatment and harm reduction services.

The Delegation of the European Union launched this strategic evaluation of the two major regional programmes implemented in central Asia due to:

• The number of highly inter-related field of activity of these two programmes and their relevance to the Focal Sector Regional Security for Development.
• The need to understand whether the actions and the results of the two programmes (including their impacts) are relevant in the current context (taking into account the state of development of the targeted sectors in CA, the willingness of the national beneficiaries to cooperate with EU in those sectors, the bilateral relations in CA and the EU interests).
• The consideration of initiating a potential new phase of the two programmes shows the necessity to assess the impact of the programmes and their perspectives

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