AKIPRESS.COM - An agreement to establish a Regional Explosive Hazards Training Center at Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence was signed in Dushanbe by Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, and Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Sherali Mirzo on November 9, the OSCE reported.

The establishment of the Center is foreseen under the Memorandum of Understanding on the OSCE extra-budgetary project “Integrated Cooperation on Explosive Hazards Programme”. The project is part of the OSCE’s efforts in developing a cooperative mechanism among Central Asian states to address concerns and challenges stemming from the disposal of explosive hazards.

“The Memorandum of Understanding consolidates the partnership and cooperation efforts of the Ministry of Defence and the OSCE to establish the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Center of the Ministry of Defence,” said Lieutenant General Mirzo.

The trainees came from Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, representing almost 20 governmental and non-governmental bodies dealing with explosive hazards threats.

The project has also provided a practical platform to facilitate the exchange of experience and best practices at a regional level, as part of the OSCE confidence- and security-building measures.