OSCE training to enhance canine handlers' skills

A three-day training course organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) for canine handlers concluded in Bokhtar on 24 May 2024. The event was conducted at the K9 Training Centre under the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and involved 20 canine handlers from the K9 departments of Tajikistan’s MIA and the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence (COESCD).  

Participants learned advanced techniques and methods of handling dogs during search and rescue operations. In addition, COESCD and MIA officials were familiarized with intra and inter-agency coordination aspects in response to natural disasters and man-made accidents.

The Office will replicate this training to one more regional K9 office in Khorog city later this year. The activity is part of the Office’s long-term efforts to handle disaster risk reduction and mitigation measures and to address risks related to natural emergencies, which Tajikistan frequently faces across the country.