On March 15 in Suzak village of the Jalal-Abad oblast of Kyrgyzstan, an official opening ceremony of the fire and rescue unit №65 within the framework of trilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of the Republic of Korea, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) was held, UNDP in Kyrgyzstan reported.
The ceremony was attended by the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Kyrgyz President in Jalal-Abad Oblast, Minister of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Kyrgyzstan, KOICA Country Director, and UNDP Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan.
The completion of the fire and rescue unit in Suzak village is the result of joint efforts by KOICA and the Ministry of Emergency Situations as part of a broader initiative to build four fire and rescue units across Kyrgyzstan, including Bishkek, Osh, and Cholpon-Ata (Issyk-Kul oblast). The cooperation is aimed not only at strengthening the disaster risk management capacity of the Kyrgyz Republic but also at supplying modern firefighting equipment and machinery and improving the overall quality of firefighting services. In addition to technical assistance, UNDP has improved working conditions for firefighters, mainstreamed gender equality, increased universal access to fire departments and ensured adherence to sustainable development principles.
During the ceremony, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Jalal-Abad province Absattar Syrgabaev emphasized: “In the Suzak district, which is the second most populous region of our republic, there was an urgent need to build a new fire and rescue unit and strengthen its technical base. This fire and rescue unit will serve more than 175 thousand people living in five villages of the Suzak district.”
The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Lee Won-jae highlighted that: “The Kyrgyz Republic is a key partner country for our government, and we will continue to strengthen development cooperation between the two countries to achieve the Kyrgyz government’s national development strategy and improve the quality of life of its people.”
Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative, emphasized the importance of disaster risk reduction and response to climate emergencies. She noted: “We have joined forces to improve access to timely assistance in case of emergencies. Having a modern infrastructure that can withstand and prevent loss and damage to people and the country is an important component of the entire disaster risk management and sustainable development system.”
Photo: UNDP in Kyrgyzstan
