From February 27 through March 3, U.S. Embassy Dushanbe conducted an Advanced Disaster Planning course for 20 officers representing the Government of Tajikistan’s security services.

According to the U.S. Embassy, participating agencies included Tajikistan’s National Guard, the Ministry of Defense, and the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense.  Throughout the training course, a team of three instructors from the United States Defense Institute of Medical Operations presented discussions on a range of topics related to interagency planning, development of disaster management frameworks, and best practices for implementing effective disaster response activities.

Additionally, the team facilitated a number of practical exercise sessions that required participants to plan and brief disaster response actions for notional scenarios.  These scenarios were based on conditions relevant to Tajikistan and included emphasis on recent concerns surrounding the country’s heavy winter snowfall.  While visiting the training, U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Elisabeth Millard remarked that “the United States recognizes the threat of natural disasters that Tajikistan faces on an annual basis” and that “through long-term cooperation, we seek to provide the Government of Tajikistan the training and institutional capacity to effectively address these challenges.”

This Advanced Disaster Planning course was coordinated by the embassy’s Office of Military Cooperation and funded through Tajikistan’s annual International Military Education and Training allocation.  The U.S. government will spend $525,000 for 2017 to provide the Government of Tajikistan’s security service personnel with opportunities for training and professional development as a means of expanding levels of cooperation, enhancing mutual capabilities, and promoting long-term regional stability.

In February, Tajikistan and the United States celebrated 25 years of diplomatic relations.  The United States respects Tajikistan and considers it an important partner, which is why it has given more than $1.8 billion in assistance over the last 25 years.  As President Trump stated, “I hope that our mutual respect and dedication to advancing our common goals of regional security and stability will continue to grow.”