DUSHANBE, November 27, 2009, Asia-Plus — The British Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Tajikistan, Mr. Trevor Moore, visited Khuroson on November 25, accompanied by the Head of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in Tajikistan, Mr. Bob Leverington, Mr. Iliya Todorovich, UNHCR Country Director, Ms. Hongwei Gao, UNICEF Country Director, Ms. Lilia Tverdun, CARITAS Switzerland Country Director and Ms. Nancy Snauwaert and Mr. Stephen Houston from UNDP, according to the UK Embassy in Dushanbe.
All the above agencies have been cooperating with government and communities in Khuroson to provide housing, water and sanitation and hygiene education for families whose homes had been destroyed by landslides and mudslides in spring this year.
The team members were briefed by the deputy governor of Khatlon province Mr. Saidumron Abdurahmonov and chairman of Khuroson district Mr. Abdujabbor Samadov, who described efforts made this year to come to terms with the disaster. Colonel Abdusattor Khoushvaqtov, chief of staff of the Khatlon emergency management agency, and Mr. Rahmat Bobokalonov, director general of State Unitary Enterprise for Public Services, accompanied the delegation on a tour of Shohroh and Oftobak villages to review progress on the construction of houses and provision of the water supply and to meet the communities affected.
The Ambassador welcomed the significant progress made by the authorities, and noted that the program was meeting critical needs within the communities. However he noted that there was a continuing need for assistance and agreed with the local Government that the international community could do more in this respect. He was therefore pleased to announce that the British Government would provide a further funding for the construction of houses in Shohroh and Oftobak as a further contribution to improving the lives of the people of Khuroson. The funds will be provided through CARITAS Switzerland and will provide a further 25 earthquake proof and energy efficient houses. In 2009 Britain has now provided some 3.575.000 TJS (£500,000) to support emergency relief in Khuroson District.
In July 2002 Under Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mr. John Mc. Gregory visited Tajikistan. As a result of his visit the British Department for International Development (DFID) opened an office in Tajikistan. DFID is the British Government department responsible for international development assistance. Since 2002 DFID has supported a wide range of programs in the fields of rural livelihoods, private sector development, public finance management and health.
In July 2009 DFID, ECHO and UNICEF co-funded the “Emergency rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene education for disaster-affected displaced population in Shohroh settlement of Khuroson district” program. This was in response to the abnormally heavy rainfall April and May 2009 that led to severe flooding and mudflows in many parts of Tajikistan. Khuroson was the worst affected area, suffering the almost complete destruction of four villages.
With the additional funds now being made available, total British contribution is £500,000 (3.575.000 TJS), work is scheduled to be finished by the end of March 2010. Altogether 5,000 people in Shohroh and Oftobak settlements will benefit from the project, enjoying improved housing and access to safe water. Some 1.000 schoolchildren will be involved in ongoing hygiene education in rural schools. Tajik Communal Service, Tajik Geology and SES are implementing partners.
