From 4 to 22 May, 2026, the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Center (REHTC) of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan, in partnership with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD), concluded the third and final stage of the regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) course.
As a result of the intensive three-week program, 14 EOD specialists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan significantly improved their theoretical and practical capacities in the field of EOD in accordance with the International Mine Action Standard. Participants represented the Ministries of Defense, Border Troops, the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, as well as other governmental institutions.
Participants received comprehensive training on humanitarian demining safety measures and in the removal, disposal, and destruction of explosive ordnance. These activities contributed to the objectives of the OSCE POiD Integrated Co-operation on Explosive Hazards (ICExH) programme, which aims to improve the overall safety and management of explosive hazards in Central Asia.
In line with the project's goal of achieving REHTC self-sufficiency, REHTC instructors conducted the training, monitored and mentored by national ICExH national training officers and representatives of the Belgian Armed Forces. This approach demonstrated the REHTC instructors' strong foundational knowledge and growing expertise in EOD operations.
On 22 May, a closing ceremony was held with the participation of the Adviser to the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan, Major General Maruf Sharifi, and Director of the Tajikistan National Mine Action Centre, Colonel Asozoda Abdulmumin, as well as representatives of the US and German Embassies in Dushanbe.
The OSCE POiD provided logistical and financial support for the training, which was made possible through extra-budgetary contributions to the ICExH programme from the United States and Germany.
The successful completion of the cycle of regional EOD courses is an important step in strengthening regional capacities to counter explosive threats and contributes to a safer environment in Central Asia.
Moreover, during the closing ceremony, the REHTC received the "Certificate of Conformity for its Quality Management System to the requirements of ISO 9001:2015". This certification was obtained with the assistance of the OSCE POiD and the support of the Center for International Stabilization and Reconstruction at James Madison University in the United States.
