The official opening ceremony of the new fire and rescue station was held on January 26 in Osh city in southern Kyrgyzstan. The construction of the new facility became possible within the framework of trilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Osh fire and rescue station is one of three others built jointly by the Ministry of Emergency Situations, KOICA, and UNDP as part of a broader initiative to strengthen the country’s disaster risk management capacity. New fire and rescue stations have also been built in the cities of Cholpon-Ata (Issyk-Kul province), in the village of Suzak (Jalal-Abad province), and the construction of another one is underway in Bishkek. This initiative includes not only the construction of the facilities but also the supply of modern firefighting equipment and machinery, as well as improving the overall quality of firefighting services. Along with technical assistance, UNDP has improved working conditions for firefighters, mainstreamed gender equality, expanded universal access to fire services and ensured sustainability.
At the opening ceremony, First Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic Azamat Mambetov noted the timeliness of the project, given the annual increase in the number of fires, especially during the heating season, and said: “We are glad that we are successfully implementing this project within trilateral cooperation. Opening new fire stations will help prevent more accidents. The new facilities are equipped with special equipment, and modern vehicles suitable for extinguishing fires. In addition, more than a hundred specialists went through professional training provided by the Korean counterparts, and 20 employees of fire and rescue departments were trained in Korea.”
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Lee Wonjae said: “Osh is a major city in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Osh fires station, completed with the interest and support of officials from both countries, will play an important role in protecting residents of the Osh region from various fires and disasters based on the latest infrastructure and operating equipment.”
Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative, emphasized the importance of disaster risk reduction and response to climate emergencies: “We recognize that emergency situations require a specialized approach. Today’s opening is an important step in complementing existing infrastructure, strengthening national capacities and improving the effectiveness of response to fires and other emergencies. As statistics from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic note, the growing number of fires and threats associated with urbanization, as well as climate change require constant attention and action. The result of the project throughout the country will be the creation of conditions for timely assistance to more than 400,000 people in emergencies. Reducing response times and equipping with modern equipment will significantly improve the overall security of the region.”
Photo: UNDP
