DUSHANBE, February 20, 2013, Asia-Plus – A three-day regional workshop on “National Mine Action Standards” started in Dushanbe on February 19 with the support of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The event brought together experts, practitioners and other stakeholders from 13 organizations engaged in mine action in Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan, countries which are affected to varying degrees by explosive hazards such as landmines and unexploded ordnance.

The workshop focuses on national mine action standards, including issues such as humanitarian de-mining, risk education, quality and information management.  The workshop will provide the opportunity to discuss further cross-border co-operation among these countries.

The workshop is part of the Persian-language Outreach Program supported by the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian De-mining and organized with the local partnership assistance of the OSCE Office and the Tajikistan Mine Action Centre of UNDP.

Since 2009, the OSCE has been supporting the development of co-operative mechanisms on a technical level among states in Central Asia and Afghanistan to address concerns and challenges stemming from explosive hazards.