OSCE continues to support Kyrgyzstan's efforts to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1540
A two-day roundtable discussion on the 2017-2019 National Action Plan (NAP) on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540 on effective measures against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is taking place from 9 to 11 September 2019 in the Issyk-Kul province, Kyrgyzstan.
The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, in close partnership with the Ministry of Economy of Kyrgyzstan, continues to provide the platform for discussion, review and development of recommendations for the country’s effective implementation of the UNSCR 1540 goals as part of activities to assist Kyrgyzstan in meeting its commitments under the Resolution.
The event gathered representatives of relevant ministries and state agencies of Kyrgyzstan as well as independent experts responsible for implementing UNSCR 1540, and allowed the participants to review the current status of the implementation of the NAP as well as develop recommendations for the document's further implementation. It included sessions on legislative development and enforcement measures undertaken by Kyrgyzstan since the adoption of the latest NAP in July 2017.
“The active participation of Kyrgyz officials in such events once again reaffirms the willingness of Kyrgyzstan to fulfil its international obligations,” said the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Pierre von Arx.
Von Arx noted that joint efforts for the implementation of the resolution would also reinforce inter-agency interaction within state agencies as well as strengthen links with civil society. "This will enable all actors involved in this process to respond effectively to modern challenges to peace, security and stability, which remain a strategic priority for the OSCE.”
The Ministry of Economy is the key state body responsible for co-ordinating the implementation of the UNSCR 1540 NAP. Nazar Malaev, the Head of the Non-Tariff Regulation and Export Control Department in the Ministry ,- noted that in 2019 Kyrgyzstan was the first Central Asian state to join the 1925 Geneva Protocol. The Protocol prohibits use of chemical and biological weapons in international armed conflicts, and therefore puts a lot of importance on the implementation of both the Protocol and the Resolution. "This event served as a platform for constructive dialogue, and it further unites Kyrgyzstan's efforts to better control non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in and outside the country."
The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek will continue providing expert support for drafting recommendations to effectively implement the current UNSCR 1540 NAP. The recommendations will feed into the development of the new NAP for the future implementation of the Resolution 1540.