Five service members of the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic successfully completed an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Level 3 course at the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Tajikistan. The three-week course took place from 6 to 24 July 2026 and concluded with a certificate award ceremony in Dushanbe on 24 July 2026.
The participants had previously completed EOD Levels 1 and 2 in 2025-2026. Together, the three modules form a comprehensive training programme delivered under the extra-budgetary project "Reducing the Risk of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives Proliferation across the Borders of the Kyrgyz Republic".
The project is implemented by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and with the support of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Tajikistan. The training also forms part of the Integrated Co-operation on Explosive Hazards (ICExH) programme of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, which supports regional co-operation and capacity-building to address explosive hazards across Central Asia.
Conducted in compliance with the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), the EOD Level 3 course combined classroom instruction and practical exercises to strengthen participants' skills in the identification, handling and disposal of unexploded ordnance and mines, while ensuring the safety of personnel and civilians.
"The successful completion of the EOD training programme demonstrates how close co-operation between OSCE field operations and national partners can deliver tangible results for regional security," said Ewa Klimuk, Small Arms and Light Weapons Project Officer at the Politico-Military Department of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. "Strengthening the professional capacities of specialists contributes not only to national security but also to trust and stability across the region," she added.
Ihar Kuzminich, Countering Security Threats Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, emphasized the broader value of the initiative: "This programme goes beyond the transfer of technical knowledge. It strengthens co-operation between institutions, builds lasting professional partnerships and creates a solid foundation for joint efforts to address shared security challenges in Central Asia."
Colonel Kholmahmadzoda Tohir, Head of the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre of Tajikistan's Ministry of Defence, highlighted the importance of regional knowledge-sharing: "Our centre has served as a reliable platform for the exchange of expertise in Central Asia for many years. Training border guards from neighbouring Kyrgyzstan in accordance with IMAS strengthens not only the technical skills of individual specialists but also trust and security across the region."
Upon completion of the course, participants received internationally recognized certificates. Their successful completion of the full EOD Level 1-3 training programme marks an important step in strengthening explosive hazard response capabilities and regional co-operation.
