UNHCR is handing over prefabricated housing units to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Red Crescent Society of the Kyrgyz Republic

Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, 26-27 March 2019 - This donation is made through Disaster Response Coordination Unit (DRCU) to strengthen cooperation and coordination for disaster preparedness and response. The DRCU brings together donor community, Government counterparts, international and local NGOs, Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent, and the UN Country Team to ensure a coherent emergency preparedness and response in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Such housing units are used by UNHCR and its partners all over the world, primarily during emergency situations. Robust and waterproof, each PHU provides 17.5 square meters of living space with adequate privacy parameters. In addition, the PHUs are spacious and have windows to allow for ventilation, as well as LED lamp and solar panel charges that can be used to recharge electronic devices including mobile phones. Each PHU is easy and quick to construct and cab assembled by team of 4 people in few hours.

The PHUs will be utilized by the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Red Crescent Society in case of disaster and emergency situations in the Kyrgyz Republic. Beyond their primary use as emergency shelter, PHUs can be used as temporary first aid centres, accommodation for field personnel, education centres or storage. 

At the official handover ceremony, Giorgi Sanikidze, Senior Officer of UNHCR Regional Representation for Central Asia expressed gratitude to UN Resident Coordinator, DRCU, MoES and RCSK for cooperation - “We see the provision of these housing units as another step forward in the long history of close cooperation and coordination between our organisations for disaster preparedness and response. We hope that the introduction of PHUs can strengthen their operational capacity, provide comfort to affected population and help save lives”.

«I am sure that the existing close and fruitful cooperation between MoES and UNHCR will become even stronger and move forward for the good of affected people of the Kyrgyz Republic. The provided assistance is a great help in preventing and eliminating the consequences of emergency situations on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic.” – said Azamat Mambetov, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic.

“We are sincerely grateful for the support in assisting people affected by natural disasters. These prefabricated housing units will be an effective solution to the housing problem in emergency situations. I am sure that our partnership is the most important condition for effective work not only in dealing with emergency situations, but also in improving preparedness for possible future challenges”, stressed Chingiz Djakipov, General Director of the Red Crescent of the Kyrgyz Republic.