Tourism sector operators have been tasked to develop together with governmental bodies a disaster plans to provide security and safety for tourists in cases of emergency.  According to UNDP Office in Tajikistan, the action has been agreed upon at the UNDP workshop in Khorog designed to strengthen cooperation between the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CoES) and private entrepreneurs in Tajikistan.

The workshop that took place on June 28 is a part of a series of events, including other similar workshops and coordination meetings, aimed to increase resilience to natural phenomena through strengthening the capacity of local entrepreneurs, including but not limited to tourism operators.

High level of local entrepreneurs’ preparedness is crucial to build resilience in the disaster-prone areas of Tajikistan as entrepreneurs often happen to be the first front of goods provision for the local population as disasters hit.

UNDP is working with CoES, the Committee of Tourism Development and the Chamber of Commerce to build a platform to discuss and find effective solutions for these needs together with entrepreneurs.

UNDP plans to cover all regions of the country to maximize the cooperation in all areas susceptible to natural phenomena.

Earlier workshops on private sector disasters risk management and planning have been held in Dushanbe, Khujand, Bokhtar, and Kulob.

In the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous region (GBAO) two workshops were reportedly held on the same day to address improvements in disaster risk management as well as better ensuring tourist safety.  Deputy Chairman of GBAO, Mr. Umedjon Nosirzoda participated in both events.

GBAO is among the regions with highest probability of natural disasters, including earthquakes and floods, as was the case in 2015.  The mere existence of Lake Sarez, formed a century ago by a massive landslide, is a clear reminder of the dramatic nature of the environment in eastern Tajikistan.

The workshops were organized by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense under the Government of Tajikistan, the Committee of Tourism Development under the Government of Tajikistan and with the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Tajikistan, with a financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone.  On the ground in 177 countries and territories, UNDP offers global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.