In March, 2024, Minister of Emergency Situations (MES) of Kyrgyzstan, Major General Boobek Azhikeev, and Torsten Brezin, GIZ Cluster Coordinator for Climate, Water, and Energy in Central Asia met in Bishkek.
During the meeting, in addition to discussing cooperation for the current year, an official transfer of climbing and computer equipment for the MES was carried out. The list of rescue gear includes no less than 200 items of 28 types of specialized climbing equipment – tents, carabiners, portable solar power stations, static and dynamic ropes, and many others. It will enable MES to access glaciers, icefields, and high-altitude areas for research purposes, including within the partnership with the “Climate Risk Management in Central Asia” programme. This data is essential for understanding climate patterns and predicting potential risks, ultimately contributing to effective climate risk management strategies. In addition, these tools are essential for safety reasons of staff involved in monitoring operations, minimizing the risk of accidents, injuries, and fatalities.
Besides, new hardware, including computers, laptops, and drones, was also transferred. The CRM CA programme incorporates hydrological modeling to improve the forecasting capabilities of hydrometeorological services in countries of Central Asia, including Kyrgyzhydromet – a structural unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The improvement of transboundary climate risk management in the region is the main goal of the programme, thus supporting national partners’ technical base for forecasting and monitoring natural disasters is a valuable part of its implementation.
