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Home Newsroom News and press releases OSCE Centre in Bishkek hands over explosive ordnance disposal equipment to Kyrgyz Armed Forces
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OSCE Centre in Bishkek hands over explosive ordnance disposal equipment to Kyrgyz Armed Forces

26 November 2015
The OSCE Centre in Bishkek held a ceremony to hand over to the Engineering Department of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces two explosive ordnance disposals, Bishkek, 25 November 2015. (OSCE/Vasilina Brazhko) Photo details

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek on 25 November 2015 held a ceremony to hand over to the Engineering Department of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces two explosive ordnance disposals, nine bomb suits with helmets, two distance remote exploders, two hook and line kits and seven mine detectors.

Ahead of the handover, the OSCE Centre had conducted training courses at the end of last month for Kyrgyz Army personnel on disposing ammunition and explosives.

“This equipment is very important for the effective operation of the engineering units of Kyrgyz Armed Forces and I especially thank the OSCE Centre and the British Embassy for their co-operation”, said Zyabek Kamchibekov, Head of the Engineering Department of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces. “Recently, there were cases when children were seriously injured as the result of the explosion of unexploded remnants. It is therefore important to ensure the safety of people and property.”

John MacGregor, Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said the equipment was purchased as part of the OSCE Centre’s project on the disposal of ammunition and explosives. “Today, we pass them to our partner and believe that the use of this equipment will increase the technical capacity of Kyrgyz Armed Forces in effectively managing stockpiles and disposing of ammunition."

Richard Duell, Deputy Head of the British Embassy in Bishkek, noted the event was the result of a two-year project, which received $ 720,000 from the UK Government. “Firearms without proper control, being in fraudulent hands, can inflame and prolong conflicts, exacerbate the abuse of human rights, impede development and destabilize the region,” he said.

The handover ceremony was held as part of the OSCE Centre’s project on enhancing the capacity of Kyrgyzstan in the physical security and stockpile management of small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition. The project was funded by the European Union, Finland, Germany, Kazakhstan, the UK and the US.