DUSHANBE, October 7, 2011, Asia-Plus — Communities in Tajikistan are frequently affected by natural disasters such as floods, landslides and mudslides and in an effort to address this need, the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (ECHO) in the framework of its Disaster Preparedness Program (DIPECHO) and the Aga Khan Foundation signed an agreement last year to implement the sixth DIPECHO project entitled “Fostering Disaster Resilient Communities in Isolated Mountain Environments”, in Central Asia.
Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) in Tajikistan reported on October 7 that FOCUS and Mountain Societies Development Support Programme in Kyrgyzstan implemented this project which enabled local communities and institutions to better prepare for, mitigate and respond to natural disasters.
Under the DIPECHO 6 Decision, FOCUS is supporting the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CES) under the Government of Tajikistan by providing search-and-rescue equipment. The CES chairman, Major-General Khaybullo Latipov, accepted the equipment in the presence of Mr. Aziz Ghiyosov, the Deputy Chairman of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (Gorno Badakhshan or GBAO). Senior officers and staff of the Committee and invited guests were also in attendance.
Major-General Latipov thanked ECHO for its generosity and mentioned that the search and rescue equipment would substantially increase the Committee’s ability to respond effectively to disasters in a timely manner. He also acknowledged and appreciated the very close collaboration between the Committee and FOCUS Tajikistan over the last 14 years.
Mr. Ghiyosov, on behalf of Qodir Qosim, the Chairman of GBAO, expressed his gratitude for the initiative and thanked FOCUS Tajikistan for its continued support.
ECHO and AKF/FOCUS have partnered for over 10 years to foster disaster resiliency, thereby seeking to improve the quality of life of the people in Central Asia.
