European Union and OSCE support the start of construction works at Tajikistan’s Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense Training Centre

High-level representatives from Tajikistan’s Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CoESCD), the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the European Union Delegation to Tajikistan participated in the official start of renovation work on the CoESCD Training Centre on 19 January 2021 in Karatag, Shahrinav district. The renovation will turn the CoESCD Training Centre into a facility providing training where the Committee will be able to strengthen the capacity of responders on how to react to natural disasters in border regions.

The renovation of the Centre was initiated as part of the OSCE’s project on the “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan”, funded within the framework of the European Union’s Foreign Policy Instrument.

General Lieutenant Rustam Nazarzoda, Head of the Committee of Emergency Situation and Civil Defense said: “The first phase of the project began today and I hope that we’ll jointly complete the upgrade of the building with the support of project partners by 2022. This training centre is the only facility to provide training in eliminating the consequences of natural disaster risks in Central Asia. The Government of Tajikistan supports the construction of the Centre.” He also added that the Tajik Government will provide a helicopter and airplane fuselages to be used for rappelling training as well as undertake a partial renovation of the buildings. Nazarzoda thanked the EU, the OSCE and the Government of France for the latter’s particularly strong support to the Karatag renovation project.

Valeriu Chiveri, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe said: “The renovation of the CoESCD Training Centre in Karatag is one of the most important elements of the project currently implemented by our Office. I am convinced that the newly renovated training centre will help the Committee train additional rescuers, who, in turn, will be able to provide the necessary assistance to Tajik citizens affected by natural disasters so frequently occurring in all regions of Tajikistan.”

Marilyn Josefson, Ambassador of the European Union, Head of EU Delegation to Tajikistan said: “The inauguration of the rehabilitation and construction of the National Training Centre of the CoESCD in Karatag, Shahrinav marks a new and unique co-operation between the Government of Tajikistan, the European Union and the OSCE in the area of strengthening National Civil Defense capacity and border co-operation with Afghanistan. The European Union hopes that this first phase will stimulate further co-operation in this area and deepen the Tajik Government’s engagement in cutting edge training courses in natural disaster reduction management with the European Union and its Member States, as well as with other bilateral and multilateral partners.”

During the ceremony, participants were taken on a tour of the construction site to get a better understanding of the scope of the renovation and what is expected upon its completion.