OSCE consulting Turkmenistan in protecting energy infrastructure from natural disasters

By Trend

An OSCE-organized seminar on developing effective methods for protecting energy infrastructure from natural hazards was held in Ashgabat, Trend reports referring to the OSCE office in Ashgabat.

The seminar was attended by representatives from a number of national ministries, including the State Commission of Turkmenistan for Emergencies, the Main Department of Civil Defense and Rescue Operations of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industries, and the khiakimiliks (local government councils), among others.

“The seminar was important for Turkmenistan’s national and economic security,” Ambassador Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, said. “As the largest regional security forum, the OSCE has a great potential to address emerging threats by sharing vast experiences accumulated by its participating States.”

Drozd drew attention to Turkmenistan’s geopolitical significance and underlined the role of effective international co-operation in ensuring the security of Turkmenistan’s national energy infrastructure.

“Turkmenistan’s energy-producing capabilities are crucial not only on a national, but international level,” she said. “Collaborative international and national efforts are therefore of fundamental importance to the effective protection of Turkmenistan’s energy infrastructure.”

The event was led by two international experts, who highlighted in their lectures the importance of an understanding of risk in establishing developed energy infrastructure, while also providing historic examples of major accidents in this field.

They conducted practical training sessions on how to organize the response to emergency situations and methods for the prevention and resolution of incidents. The sessions also explored dealing with possible energy deficits, forming effective plans of action to ensure the safety of the local population, and developing effective techniques for analyzing the potential consequences of a major incident.

The seminar concluded with a roundtable discussion on challenges in building resilience against natural and man-made disasters in Turkmenistan.