OSCE to establish situation room in Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK, 7 February 2014 – A Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of a centralized government crisis management centre in Kyrgyzstan was signed today between the Kyrgyz Government, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, and the Democratic Control for Armed Forces (DCAF), an international foundation that contributes to enhancing security sector governance through security sector reform.

The Situation Room, created under the project initiated at the request of the Kyrgyz government in 2011, and developed by the OSCE, is envisioned to address any kind of emergency situations, from natural disasters to border incidents to terrorist threats. Its command-and-control design incorporates both civilian and security structures, and should increase operational efficiency of the nationwide crisis management mechanism.

The project is planned to last 36 months and envisions full handover to the Office of the Prime Minister upon its conclusion.

“The centre-to-be will become a platform for experts and officers from various government bodies to monitor and address any kind of emergency situation in the country. It will significantly speed up the decision-making process under critical circumstances and enhance government responses and co-ordination in times of emergencies,” said the head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, during the signing ceremony.

“It will also serve as a key feature of ongoing reforms in the security sector in Kyrgyzstan, along with the creation of a General Staff within the Military Doctrine that was approved by President Almazbek Atambayev,” Ambassador Kapinos added.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek will provide financial support to refurbish the premises of the Situation Room and equip it with modern communication and monitoring technology.

In addition, the OSCE will work in coordination with French experts on making the situation room operational, and experts from DCAF on revising the corresponding legislative framework.  

Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Tokon Mamytov, who signed the Memorandum, said “Situation Room initiative is one of many implemented in co-operation between the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Kyrgyz Government. The main directions of our joint work include projects aimed at managing and controlling small arms and light weapons, increasing the operational preparedness of Kyrgyz anti-terrorism agencies, implementing government press service reform and enhancing the ability of the Kyrgyz Government to engage in regional cooperation in border security and management.”