Sweden: the MSB to increase preparedness in former Soviet Republic
The former Soviet republic Tajikistan will with Swedish help become better at dealing with disasters. Among other things, this includes improving capabilities for rescuing people from collapsed buildings.
The MSB, in conjunction with the UNDP and a local committee for emergencies and civil defence, will establish a search and rescue force, and prepare a training ground in the capital Dushanbe, for search and rescue exercises. During 2010 MSB instructors will conduct training in Tajikistan.
Carl-Johan Bäckström
The Swedish contribution to the project will cost SEK 10 million and will be financed by Sida.
"Tajikistan is a poor and exposed country in an area with a high level of seismic activity. Their capacity for searching for and rescuing people trapped in collapsed buildings as a result of, for example, an earthquake is currently very limited," said Carl-Johan Bäckström, a project manager at the MSB.
Humanitarian relief hindered by geography and terrain
Tajikistan is in central Asia, surrounded by Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. It is a mountainous country with half its area at an altitude of more than 3,000 metres. Only 7% of the country is below 1,000 metres. The Communist Peak (the former Soviet Union’s highest mountain) rises to 7,495 metres above sea level.
"The geographical position and the terrain make it difficult to quickly get international help to people following earthquakes and other disasters. The aim of the project is to increase Tajikistan’s own capacity to start an effective emergency response operation in the critical initial stages after the occurrence of a disaster."
Sweden financing training and equipment
Preparation of the training ground has already started, and training is expected to commence in the spring of 2010.
"A great deal of the Swedish contribution will be in the form of money to buy materiel for the training ground and equipment for the search and rescue force that is to be created. This includes air cushions for lifting, cutting and clipping tools and other items that such a force requires."
"The UN deals with the purchasing itself. Our local cooperation partners will prepare the training ground from plans provided by the MSB. From spring 2010 MSB instructors will be conducting training in the country. The training course will be held on 5 to 8 occasions, each occasion lasting between 3 and 5 days," said Carl-Johan Bäckström.
Footnote: Tajikistan became fully independent in 1991. By 1920 all of the country was under Russian control, and under Soviet control from 1924. It was made a Soviet republic in 1929. Following independence, there was a bloody civil war between 1992 and 1997, which left around 40,000 people dead. The country has approximately 6 million inhabitants and an area of 143,100 sq. km.