The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recently held a joint training initiative to strengthen institutional transparency, ethics and due diligence at critical border entry points in the Caribbean.

Working alongside the UNODC’s Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP), the organisations brought together approximately 30 participants for an “Ethics and Integrity in Border Management” workshop, which was held from 25 – 28 May 2026, with funding and support from the Government of Canada. Officials from Trinidad and Tobago attended in person, while others from across the Caribbean Region participated virtually.

Participants included officials from key border management and integrity-related institutions, including customs administrations, immigration and border control authorities, port and airport authorities, law enforcement agencies and anti-corruption and oversight bodies. It was specifically targeted at practitioners directly involved in border operations, ensuring a practical, experience-based exchange that supports operational cooperation and capacity strengthening across the Region.

Border authorities play a vital role in facilitating trade and travel, collecting revenue and preventing illicit flows. However, their strategic position on the frontlines makes them high-value targets for transnational criminal networks. When systemic corruption offences, such as bribery, abuse of functions and document fraud go unchecked, they open the door to illicit trafficking, trade-based money laundering and the movement of illegal goods.

Grounded in the principles of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), specifically Articles 5, 7, 8, 38 and 48, alongside the Conference of the Parties (COP) Resolution 10/3, this workshop directly advanced the priorities of the Regional Platform to Fast-Track UNCAC Implementation in the Caribbean.

The workshop equipped participants with the specialised technical knowledge needed to master advanced concepts of ethics and transparency within Caribbean customs, immigration and port functions. Learning to map the entire border value chain allowed front-line officers to better identify and manage integrity risks during passenger and cargo screening processes. Furthermore, the curriculum strengthened institutional capacity to detect and respond to internal incidents through improved reporting mechanisms and preliminary data analysis.

Ultimately, bringing these diverse agencies together enhanced vital regional cooperation and established an active network of border professionals dedicated to sharing intelligence and best practices for a unified regional defence.

Integrating corruption risk management directly into daily border operations, the workshop helped Caribbean countries strengthen resilient, transparent public institutions capable of defending the Region's economic and physical security.