DUSHANBE, May 18, 2011, Asia-Plus -- The Monitoring and Early Warning Center was opened at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) in Dushanbe on May 17.

The center is reportedly aimed at optimizing work of the risk monitoring and warning system (RMWS) in Tajikistan and enhancing the mechanism of exchange of information about potential threats of social and economic character in Tajikistan and the Central Asian region.  

Mr. Rastislav Vrbensky, the UNDP Country Director in Tajikistan, notes the initiative was implemented in the framework of the project, Strengthening Coordination, Early Recovery and Early Warning in Tajikistan, which is implemented by the UNDP Disaster Risk Management Program (DRMP) under financial support of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UNDP Tajikistan.

The first joint meeting was held yesterday to discuss the Tajikistan Monthly Risk Monitoring and Early Warning Report (April 2011).

The aim of the Tajikistan Monthly Risk Monitoring Reports is to provide regular information and succinct analysis on the evaluation of natural, economic, food-related, energy-related and other risk factors in Tajikistan.  Data and information in this report are provided by different sources and compiled by the RMWS GoT Group of experts and UN Agencies in Tajikistan.