Within the European Union (EU) Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Centers of Excellence Initiative (CoE) the 7th Regional Round-Table Meeting (RTM) for the Central Asia (CA) region took place in Dushanbe last month.
The EU Delegation to Tajikistan says that after two new countries, Pakistan and Mongolia, recently joined the Initiative, six countries are now engaged under the Central Asia region of the EU CBRN CoE Initiative: Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Kazakhstan is participating in an on-going project of the initiative.
The meeting was attended by National Focal Points (NFP) and relevant experts from the partner countries, the European Commission and UNICRI. The meeting was chaired by the Director of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Agency (NRSA) and National Focal Point for Tajikistan, Dr. Ilhom Mirsaidov and Mr. Bakhtiyor Ghulomov, Head of the Uzbek State Inspection “Sanoatgeokontekhnazorat” and Head of the Regional Secretariat.
The Regional Round Table reportedly presented an opportunity to take stock of progress achieved so far in the Central Asia region, to plan next steps and discuss new regional priorities, such as a proposal to develop a regional action plan covering the UNSC Resolution 1540. In addition innovative activities were considered to enhance regional cooperation, particularly raising CBRN awareness among school students.
The RTM was also the occasion to launch a new project dedicated to biological and chemical waste management in Central Asia.
The meeting took place in the new Regional Training Center on WMD Non-Proliferation and Export Control of the NRSA and the participants were given the opportunity to visit the renovated facilities.
The CoE Initiative currently covers 8 regions and 60 partner countries. The EU CBRN CoE Regional Secretariat for Central Asia includes 6 partner countries: Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, host country of the Regional Secretariat. It works in partnership with countries to encourage local ownership of CBRN action plans, policies and joint preparation of regional project proposals.
The European Union is the world’s biggest aid donor. Tajikistan is getting the main share of EU's bilateral assistance to Central Asia: €251 million for 2014-2020. During this period the EU will focus its development cooperation with Tajikistan on the sectors of education, health and rural development. Tajikistan also receives regional and thematic assistance in areas like border management and drug control (BOMCA/CADAP), education (CAREN & Erasmus+), democracy and human rights (EIDHR), non-State actors (NSA), energy (IFCA & INOGATE), transport (TRACECA), SME development (IFCA & CA-Invest), peace and stability (IcSP) and water/environment and nuclear safety (IFCA, EURECA & INSC). The EU has been active in Tajikistan since 1992 and provides approximately EUR 35 million annually in development assistance.
