Strengthening disaster response capacities in Northern Tajikistan

ACTED continues to provide technical support to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES) of Kyrgyzstan and the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CoES) of Tajikistan by strengthening the capacities of training centres. These training centres provide specialized theoretical and practical training for professional rescuers and community-based rescue teams, that were . Under previous DIPECHO cycles, ACTED contributed to equip training spaces of the MoES office in Batken with for search and rescue activities, and rehabilitated the training centre in CoES regional branch in Khujand, where theoretical training is provided.

The needs assessment conducted by ACTED and CoES staff in Sughd region (Tajikistan) allowed to establish a list of equipment needed for the training centres, in particular search and rescue devices to conduct efficient emergency operations in the aftermath of natural disasters such as landslides, mudflows or floods. The materials included equipment for climbers and divers, boats, lanterns, mannequins…

The provided will allow the rescuers to strengthen their response capacity by participating in adequate practical training, and further develop their skills to better protect disaster-prone populations and provide timely relief assistance after disasters.

BACKGROUND:

European Union’s Disaster Preparedness ECHO programme (DIPECHO)

The European Union with its Member States is a leading global donor of humanitarian aid. Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO), the EU helps over 120 million victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, ECHO provides assistance to the most vulnerable people solely on the basis of humanitarian needs, without discrimination of race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation.

The projects funded by the DIPECHO programme include simple and inexpensive preparatory measures, often implemented by the communities themselves. They have proven extremely effective in limiting damage and saving lives when hazards suddenly strike. DIPECHO projects will typically emphasize training, capacity-building, awareness-raising, establishment or improvement of local early warning systems and contingency planning. For this project, the European Commission will be providing €300,000 towards project implementation.

ACTED

ACTED, a leading international French NGO founded in Afghanistan in 1993, extended its activities to Tajikistan in 1997 and to Kyrgyzstan in 1999. ACTED’s programmes in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are serving the most vulnerable, conflict-affected or marginalized populations through a multi-sector and multi-disciplinary approach to social and economic development. Over the past 18 years, ACTED has implemented a wide range of projects in the region covering sectors including disaster risk reduction, natural resources management, and rural economic development.

For more information, visit www.ec.europa.eu/echo and www.acted.org or contact Fernand Pillonel, ACTED Country Director for Kyrgyzstan: fernand.pillonel@acted.org