The success of an IOM programme aimed at reducing the vulnerability
of communities in Southern Kyrgyzstan to natural disasters has been
recognized by the Minister of Emergencies, Janish Rustembekov, who
has given the Organization an award.

The year-long programme carried out with 110,000 euros of
funding from the European Comission’s Humanitarian Aid
Department’s disaster preparedness programme (DIPECHO) was
seen by both the government and the donor as having achieved much
with relatively few resources.

Among the many results of the programme were the identification
and mapping out of populated disaster prone areas in the south of
the country; the creation of a network of 19 non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in three regions; the training of nine NGOs on
disaster preparedness training among vulnerable populations; the
establishment of a training centre in Osh and a significant
outreach to communities through information campaigns on minimizing
the impact of a natural disaster.

Home to the longest mountain range in the world, Kyrgyzstan
regularly experiences earthquakes, land and mudslides as well as
floods. According to official sources, more than 350,000 people
were directly affected by landslides, floods and mudflows in 2005,
causing damage equivalent to almost one per cent of the
country’s GDP. 

Since independence, a lack of financial resources has been the
main stumbling block for the government in finding effective
disaster preparedness solutions while poor education and a
fatalistic approach to natural disasters mean the Kyrgyz population
are often not aware of the preventive measures that can be taken to
avoid the risks linked to natural disasters.

For further information, please contact:

Janna Salieva

IOM Bishkek

Tel: +996 312 627 936

E-mail: "mailto:jsalieva@iom.int">jsalieva@iom.int