BORDER SECURITY AND HOMELAND SECURITY

Turkey is a country with different characteristics due to its geographical location. The length of the land borders is 2 949 km and the length of the coastline is 7 816 km. The total border length of Turkey is 10 765 km. These borders are vital economic gateways that have billions of dollars’ worth trade and travel each year. They also host our country's largest and safest cities and communities. Protecting our borders from illegal arms and drug trafficking, smuggling and illegal immigrants is essential to ensure domestic security, economic welfare and national sovereignty while bringing entry and exit to the country fair. According to the EU data, the number of illegal immigrants entering the EU territory in the first 11 months of 2017 is 18,600. The total volume of weapons and drug trafficking in the world is expressed in trillions of dollars. It is understood that this issue is of a regional importance, and that this not an internal affair, especially if it is considered that the EU and its membership negotiations are ongoing. In this context, the Integrated Border Management project, which is carried out jointly with the EU, is to provide an integrated view of the Turkish government to border management and to support the development of high-level border monitoring and border control systems and standards in line with the EU's integrated border management policies. Project was administered by the Ministry of Interior, the Turkish Police Service, the Gendarmerie General Command and the Coast Guard Command and was supported by experts from EU countries. We aim to make the conference a platform for new ideas to discuss policies and actions to be taken against all negativities in our region. The work of the exhibitors in this field will bring synergy to the whole organization.