DUSHANBE, October 16, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Emergencies ministries of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have signed a memorandum of intent on establishment of the region disaster response and risk reduction center.

The document was inked by Kazakh Emergencies Minister Vladimir Bozhko, Kyrgyz Emergencies Minister Duishenkul Chotonov and Chairman of Tajik Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense Khaibullo Latipov in Almaty, Kazakhstan on October 15.  

According to the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry press service, the memorandum provides for creation of the organizing committee, comprising authorized representatives from the relevant ministries and department of the countries, to speed up the process of conducting interstate procedures on singing and ratification of the intergovernmental agreement on the establishment of the regional disaster response center.

The center is dedicated to develop disaster risk reduction capacities in Central Asia and coordinate activities of technical and governmental bodies to better react to disaster situations.  In a long-term perspective, the regional disaster response center is expected to strengthen national platforms and other intersectoral mechanisms for reduction of disaster risk in accordance with the Hiogo Framework for Action 2005-2015.

According to Gazeta.kz, the agreement is supported by the UNDP plan, Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia, which will be financed partially by the European Union.