On 29 November 2017, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tajikistan handed over 13 vehicles to Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CoES) under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan to increase capacities of Search and Rescue (SAR) Teams on immediate emergency response and evacuation.
This vehicle handover was held within the framework of “Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction and Response Capacities” project supported by the Government of Japan.
One of the objectives of this project is to strengthen capacities of Search and Rescue Teams. This objective is planned to be achieved by 1) increasing training capacities, re-equip rescue machinery, tools and supplies of the CoES’s Search and Rescue Teams; 2) integrating community-based disaster risk management into the national SAR structure; 3) integrating women and young adults into SAR system, and 4) integrating Tajikistan into the INSARAG (International Search and Rescue Advisory Group) structure.
During his speech Mr. Rustam Nazarzoda, Chairman of the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, stated: “I would like to express the gratitude to UNDP, and the Government of Japan. This is indeed helpful to CoES and Search and Rescue Teams. This support is significant for swift rescuing disaster affected people”.
In his turn, Ambassador of the Government of Japan to the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Hajime Kitaoka said: “The disasters such as heavy snowfalls may continue to be perennial in Tajikistan. But our provision of vehicles and machines today, coupled with trained local people must mitigate damages caused by disasters”.
Ms. Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative highlighted the importance of strengthening response capacities that will mitigate negative impact of natural disasters. She also mentioned that UNDP is planning to further build capacities of Search and Rescue Teams as well as its interoperability, and work closely with the community.
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Contact information
For more information please contact:
Mr. Firdavs Faizulloev - UNDP Tajikistan
Disaster Risk Management Programme Manager at firdavs.faizulloev@undp.org