CIS works on mechanism for mutual assistance in emergency situations

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MINSK. February 9. KAZINFORM. The CIS countries are working on the mechanism for mutual assistance in case of emergencies, Yuri Brazhnikov, the director of the international relations department at the Emergencies Ministry of Russia, chief of the Russian national corps of humanitarian emergency response, told a press conference in Minsk. Yuri Brazhnikov is a part of a group of experts that have gathered in Minsk to revise and harmonize the draft treaty establishing a reserve fund of the CIS member states to provide assistance to the states affected by natural and man-made emergencies.


Yuri Brazhnikov noted that this is the third session. "Discussion of the draft is not going easy. Since 2004 the CIS has been looking for ways that would make relief efforts smoother," he reminded. The expert also said that the reserve fund suggests not only financial support to the country in case of an emergency, but first and foremost, the support with manpower and resources. "The key role in this mechanism is assigned to the emergency services of the CIS and the resources that they have in their possession," he said. The main obstacle to the adoption of the document, according to Yuri Brazhnikov, is the difficulties finding legal forms that would satisfy all the CIS states. However, he is confident that this meeting may be instrumental in solving the problem, and quite soon the draft agreement can be submitted, in the prescribed manner, for the consideration of the heads of states.

According to BelTA, the reserve fund will used to provide urgent assistance to any CIS country hit by natural or man-made calamity in case it is unable to cope with the consequences of the disaster itself. The fund will include material, financial resources, and services provided by the stakeholders of the treaty. The fund will be open to donations of other states, international organizations, juridical entities and individuals.

The board of the reserve fund, which is to consist of plenipotentiary representatives of the CIS member states in the Interstate Emergencies Council, will be responsible for distributing resources. The agreement will contain fundamental procedures of receiving aid, i.e. request for help, consideration of the request and its execution.

Environmental security is one of those global problems that cannot be solved by the efforts of one country. It needs coordinated actions of several countries at the local, regional and global levels. In numbers, the amount of hazardous natural emergencies annually increases by 4% on average, with economic losses making up 10.4%. Timely prevention and necessary measures can reduce economic losses to 40%, and, in some cases, save lives or reduce the amount of victims.

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