OSCE promotes discussion on humanitarian de-mining in Tajikistan

An OSCE-supported workshop on long-term sustainability of humanitarian de-mining in Tajikistan was organized on 14 December 2012 at the Defence Ministry in Dushanbe.

The workshop focused on the role of the Defence Ministry and other security forces of the Republic of Tajikistan in humanitarian de-mining and issues related to the sustainability of the national de-mining programme. The workshop participants outlined the programme’s prospects, discussed contributions of Tajikistan ministries and agencies, as well as the Defence Ministry’s Strategic plan in humanitarian de-mining for 2013-2016.

“To resolve the landmine problem in Tajikistan once and for all, the national humanitarian de-mining capacities must be consolidated and co-ordinated; and national authorities and institutions must be committed to advancing the process and making it a nationally owned one,” said Hans Peter Larsen, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “We are ready to continue supporting the Defence Ministry of Tajikistan in sustaining long-term humanitarian de-mining efforts in the country.”

“The Defence Ministry has a clear understanding of the necessity for the establishment and the implementation of the State’s programme in the field of humanitarian de-mining on the territory of Tajikistan,” said Major General Maruf Hasanov, Chief of the International Relations Department at the Tajik Defence Ministry. “I believe that the discussion between participants of today's seminar who are leading specialists in their ministries and agencies can give a new impetus to the fulfilment of the Government’s task to solve the landmine problem.”  

The event brought together more than 30 technical experts, practitioners and other stakeholders from the government, relevant ministries and agencies as well as international organizations and local NGOs. It was hosted by the Tajik Defence Ministry and organized jointly by the Ministry, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan and Tajikistan Mine Action Centre / UNDP in Tajikistan.

Since 2003, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan has been supporting development humanitarian de-mining programme with a special emphasis on the national ownership and capacity building.