OSCE supports regional seminar on disposal of explosive ordnance in Central Asia

ALMATY, 25 August 2015 – A four-day OSCE regional seminar on Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal - Level Four began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Some 40 military and civilian experts from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Slovenia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom and the United States will discuss best practices in demilitarization, transportation, stockpile management and destruction of conventional ammunition and international ammunition technical guidelines. The event will include a site visit to the Aris Demilitarization Centre near Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

“The Republic of Kazakhstan has been and remains a consistent and active participant in the OSCE politico-military dimension’s activities and attaches a great importance to co-operation of participating States in the field of Explosive Ordnance Disposal,” said Col. Anarbek Akmetalin, Head of the Partnership for Peace Training Centre at the Military Institute of Land Forces.

“The OSCE understands that effective technical co-operation in the field of explosive ordnance disposal requires a constant exchange of experiences and sharing of best practices between participating States,” said  Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. He added that new approaches and closer interaction between countries is indispensable to regional stability and security.

“This OSCE seminar provides an ample opportunity for identifying common Central Asian training needs and applying a customized approach in training design for future joint courses in the field of explosive ordnance demilitarization,” said Mihail Semionov, De-mining Officer at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The event is organized by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defence together with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. It was financed with support from the US State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.

The seminar is part of the OSCE’s long-term support in the development of a co-operative mechanism among states in Central Asia and Afghanistan to address concerns and challenges stemming from the disposal of explosive hazards.