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Japan and UNDP Launch 204 Million Japanese Yen (2.2 US Dollars) Project to Strengthen Kyrgyzstan’s Capacity in Countering Disasters with a Focus on Cooperation in Central Asia

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Kyrgyzstan
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Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (21 February 2013) – The Government of Japan has granted 204 million Japanese Yen ($2.2 million US Dollars) for a project aimed at strengthening disaster response and risk assessment capacities in Kyrgyzstan. The project will also help facilitate an increased dialogue in the area of disaster risk reduction within Central Asian countries. The funding is given through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support the Kyrgyz Republic Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) in implementing activities planned in Country Programme Action Plan 2012-16 signed between UNDP and the Government of Kyrgyzstan.

The project on: “Strengthening Disaster Response and Risk Assessment Capacities in the Kyrgyz Republic and Facilitating a Regional Dialogue for Cooperation” funded by the Government of Japan will work in four main directions: (i) enhancing technical preparedness of MES Crisis Management Centers in risk assessment and monitoring, defining a vision/mandate in disaster prevention and recovery; (ii) strengthening national early warning capacities through improving overall infrastructure, rapid risk analysis and dissemination of information; (iii) upgrading infrastructure of Emergency Rescue Facilities to improve disaster response capacities and (iv) supporting Central Asian Center for Disaster Response and Risk Reduction and advocating for regional cooperation.

Implementation of the project will contribute to achievement of core development objectives of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy, Hyogo Framework for Action, which was adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan in 2005 and “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue, in which the Governments of Japan and Central Asian countries agreed, during 4th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in November 11, 2012 to promote cooperation in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction.

His Excellency Mr. Takayuki Koike, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Takayuki Oyama, Resident Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the Kyrgyz Republic and Interim UN Resident Coordinator a.i. / UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Pradeep Sharma signed the Exchange Notes and the Grant Agreement in the presence of Mr. Kubatbek Boronov, Minister of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic and representatives of the Government, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Secretariat of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Platform of the Kyrgyz Republic, Embassy of Japan Government, JICA and UNDP.

His Excellency Takayuki Koike, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan mentioned the importance of disaster risk reduction in ensuring security for population and sustainable development of the country. Moreover Mr. Koike expressed his hope that the funded project would greatly contribute to improvement of disaster risk reduction management in the country and to promotion of regional cooperation in Central Asia.

Mr. Takayuki Oyama, Chief Representative of JICA Kyrgyz Republic Office mentioned his confidence that this project will contribute to the vulnerable people in the Kyrgyz Republic who threatened by various disaster risks, ensuring the JICA responsibility and role for implementation in this joint project with Embassy of Japan and UNDP.

Minister Boronov mentioned that implementation of the project will increase national response capacities at all levels of Civil Protection. Moreover, the project will help manage information among all parties more efficiently.

Interim UN Resident Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative, a.i. Mr. Pradeep Sharma mentioned that the project was a result of a long consultation process conducted at different levels both globally and locally. The core objectives of this project are building national risk assessment, monitoring, early warning and emergency response capacities and sustain a regional cooperation among Central Asian countries in the area of disaster risk reduction.

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