Improvement of SALW and CA Life-management Capacity of Ministry of Defense of Kyrgyz Republic
The project implementation team comprises of National Project Officer (NP2), National Civil Engineer, Project Associate (G6) and Finance Assistant (G6).
- The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and society in Southern regions, especially Ala-Buka, Kok-
Dzhangak and Buzhum, are the main beneficiaries of the project as unsafely stored SALW and CA poses
threats to human security.
- The MoD and its structures have direct interest in project activities as they are focused on enhancement
of the life-cycle management of SALW and CA by improving the legislative framework and implementing
a functional training system. It is also responsible for three storage sites by storing the SALW and CA in
accordance to the international standards. Lastly, the MoD has a central role in considering to develop a
CA propellant testing capability that would enhance its planning and quality monitoring of the CA.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic (MFA) is the main focal point for official
communication on principal matters and has an interest to monitor the OSCE activities in the country.
- International Trust Fund Enhancing Human Security (ITF), a humanitarian non-profit organization, has an
important role in disposal of SALW and CA in Kyrgyz Republic. The organization has been sustaining the
MoD’s CA disposal capability by providing financial resources for personnel and buying equipment both
in southern and northern provinces of the country. The OSCE will co-ordinate its project activities related
to development of CA propellants testing capability to avoid any duplication of efforts.
- Donors of the project have an interest in transparent and accountable implementation of the project
activities, and receive visibility.
To assist the Kyrgyz Republic to reduce security and safety risks posed by the MoD stockpiles of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and conventional ammunition (CA).
Result 1 Improved regulative framework of life-cycle management of conventional ammunition in the Kyrgyz Republic
Result 2: Improved personnel capability in life-cycle management of CA through development of training programme of the MoD of the Kyrgyz Republic
Result 3 Enhanced storage of SALW and CA capacity of the MoD in South of the Kyrgyz Republic
Result 4 Enhanced demilitarization and CA stockpile management capability of the Kyrgyz Republic
1.1 Reviewing the regulative life-cycle management of conventional ammunition framework and formulating recommendations for improvements;
1.2 Conducting technical consultations with the MoD to agree on amendments in the existing regulative framework;
2.1 Reviewing the current PSSM training programme of armed forces of Kyrgyz Republic;
2.2 Supporting the armed forces of the Kyrgyz Republic in developing and implementing of training programme to enable a whole life management of SALW and CA model to be adopted;
2.3 Refurbishing and equipping PSSM training classroom in Osh;
3.1 Addressing immediate safety risks and enhancing SALW and CA storage facility in Buzhum;
3.2 Enhancing SALW and CA storage facility in Ala-Buka;
3.3 Enhancing SALW and CA storage facility in Kok-Dzhangak;
4.1 Organizing a study visit to a chemical laboratory for testing of propellants and ammunition in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (OSCE BiH);
4.2 Conducting feasibility study on development of CA propellants testing capability in Kyrgyz Republic;
4.3 Conducting technical consultations with the MoD to agree on the scope of CA propellants testing capability in Kyrgyz Republic;
4.4 Procurement of equipment for conducting basic chemical analysis of ammunition propellants (Qualitative Propellant Assessment Kits - QPAK and QPAK+ equipment;
4.5 Conducting a study visit on the use of mobile laboratory equipment for MoD technical specialists (Chisinau, Moldova);
4.6 Conducting basic training on stability assessment of nitrocellulose propellants using QPAK and QPAK+ equipment.
Lack of funds presents significant risks to project implementation by hindering resource acquisition, compromising project planning and design, impeding project execution, limiting stakeholder engagement, reducing the ability to manage risks, and hampering monitoring and evaluation efforts. Sufficient funding is crucial to ensure a project's smooth progress and increase the likelihood of successful implementation.
The situation in Afghanistan – due to the excessive and destabilizing accumulation and uncontrolled
spread of SALW and CA – presents an increasing risk of illicit trafficking of SALW and ammunition from
Afghanistan, into neighboring countries, including Central Asia. Additionally, degraded SALW and
ammunition physical infrastructure and poor stockpile management and security practices in Central
Asian countries further increase security and safety risks due to potential pilferage, sabotage, and
unplanned explosions. In the case of Kyrgyz Republic, there are three locations in the southern provinces
(Kok-Dzhangak, Ala-Buka, and Buzhum) that are especially vulnerable to security and safety risks due to
improper storage and handling conditions of SALW and CA, the proximity of local population and poor
physical security. Acknowledging these risks, on 13 October 2021 the Kyrgyz Republic at the 988th
meeting of the OSCE FSC requested practical assistance in the field of SALW and CA on behalf of the
Ministry of Defence (MoD) (FSC.DEL/375/21), and provided supplementary questionnaires detailing
assistance request and further justification (FSC.DEL/392/21).
In response to the assistance request on 5 November 2021, the FSC Co-ordinator on SALW/SCA Assistance
Projects requested technical expert(s) for a technical assessment visit (FSC.DEL/407/21). The technical
assessment visit took place from 12 to 17 December 2021, at the storage sites of the MoD. The trip aimed
to assess the system of the life-cycle management of SALW and CA, focusing on the physical security and
stockpiles management (PSSM), record-keeping, and disposal.
(1) The stored amount of CA in Kok-Dzhangak, Ala-Buka and Buzhum poses an imminent risk to the
surrounding population, civilian infrastructure and personnel on the storage sites and temporary solution
to the problem of storage capacity and storing the SALW and CA in containers is not safe and secure. The
capacity of existing storage facilities and the storage conditions that they provide do not meet modern
requirements for CA storage. The temporary solution – storage in containers – in all three locations is
unsatisfactory due to the negative impact of weather conditions (heat, moisture, sharp temperature
changes etc.) and lack of physical space that inflicts the inventory management and storage in accordance with compatibility group standards. As a result, the containers packed full of different ammunition and
SALW, including explosives, pose a permanent threat to the military personnel on the site and the
surrounding population that in most cases reside very close to the site;
(2) observations of inventory management, explosives safety and infrastructure maintenance indicate
that there are shortcomings in the existing legislative framework and training system that does not cover
the whole life-cycle management of SALW and CA. Although during the previous OSCE project legislative
acts on PSSM were developed and passed, there is a lack of authority in place that control whether
regulations are being followed. Regarding the training system, within the previous OSCE project the
training sessions for the personnel involved in the PSSM were conducted for MoD personnel and military.
A special focus was given to record-keeping. After the closure of the OSCE project, the POiB kept providing
training on record-keeping on an annual basis from unified budget resources. At the same time, there is
lack of training on other elements of life-cycle of SALW and CA such as daily handling, transportation,
physical security and others;
(3) lack of chemical testing of CA propellants capability that leads to absence of MoD’s CA quality
monitoring capacity and thus negatively affects the life cycle management of the CA.
Additionally, an in-depth technical assessment visit with involvement of international experts and local
civil engineers was conducted from 18 to 29 April 2022 to identify the main locations and verify the needs
and receive the MoD consent on project concept note.
