Dushanbe, 2 September 2010 - Today, UNDP and Tajikistan Mine Action Centre (TMAC) transferred Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) tools and five UAZ vehicles to EOD Teams of CoES Regional Centres in Dushanbe, Gharm, Khorog, Kurgan-tube and Khujand. The total costs of all vehicles and tools with medical kits is USD 125,000.
The EOD tools kits include metal detectors, protective visors and vests, hand-set radios, GPS navigation and other accessories necessary for identification and destruction of explosives.
All tools and equipment transferred for use of 30 EOD specialists from different regions of the country, who passed one-month special training that was organized by UNDP and TMAC Project "Building Mine/UXO Capacity within CoES"
During hand-over ceremony Mr. Daler Mirzoaliev, a TMAC staff, informed that - "UNDP and TMAC Project "Building Mine/UXO Capacity within CoES" conducted theoretical trainings for EOD Teams involving international trainer for it. Presently these EOD Teams are now undertaking practical trainings, where they imitate situations of identifying explosive ordnance in the field, streets and buildings".
Ms. Zahira Virani, Deputy Director UNDP Tajikistan, mentioned that this is not the first and the last initiatives of UNDP and TMAC addressed on building CoES capacity.
"We have close and active cooperation with CoES and are committed to support CoES through TMAC projects on mine action and demining capacity building", - concluded Ms. Virani.
CoES Chairman General-major Latipov Khaibullo, Ms. Zahira Virani, Deputy Director UNDP Tajikistan, Mr. Jonmahmad Rajabov, TMAC Manager and its staff, representatives from demining agencies, mass-media and other officials participated in the hand-over ceremony.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network, connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.
On June 2003, the Government of Tajikistan signed the Agreement "Support to the Tajikistan National Mine Action Programme" with UNDP Tajikistan, which laid TMAC establishment. TMAC is responsible for management of all issues related to antipersonnel landmines in coordination with government and international partners. TMAC objectives are to ensure mine clearance operations in the country, destruction of antipersonnel landmine stockpiles, increasing mine risk awareness, providing assistance to mine victims and advocating against use of antipersonnel landmines.