MINSK, 4 September (BelTA) - The next meeting of the Emergency Coordination Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states will be held in the Russian Federation in 2026, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Emergency Ministry.
The heads of the emergency services of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan met in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan on 3-4 September. These officials are the authorized representatives of their countries at the CSTO Emergency Coordination Council. The Belarusian delegation was led by Emergency Minister Vadim Sinyavsky. In addition to discussing agenda items, he delivered a speech outlining the factors necessitating the constant development and improvement of a robust system of interstate cooperation in crisis preparedness and response.
The council's focus was on summarizing past activities and making decisions to advance multilateral cooperation in protecting people, economic facilities, and critical infrastructure from accidents, disasters, and natural calamities.
The 16th meeting was held under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan. In his welcoming address, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Emergency Situations Boobek Azhikeev stated that a sustainable future was impossible without close interaction between emergency agencies. “Only by uniting our efforts can we protect our countries from emergencies. Our strength lies in unity, our path is cooperation in the name of security,” the council's chairman said.
The participants of the meeting discussed cooperation with international organizations in providing assistance to victims of emergencies. One agenda item was the holding of the special exercise Rock 2026 with emergency units designated as part of the formations of the special-purpose forces of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces. These exercises will take place in Tajikistan on 13-15 October and will be aimed at practicing actions to eliminate the consequences of emergencies caused by natural disasters and industrial accidents.
Chairman of Tajikistan's Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense Rajabali Rahmonali suggested the setting up of a humanitarian response center to ensure timely response and the provision of humanitarian assistance to CSTO member states in the event of major crises. The council decided to establish a working group to assess this initiative and develop the practical aspects of its implementation.
During the meeting, particular emphasis was placed on organizing practical initiatives and projects. A joint action plan for 2026 was approved to include command-staff exercises, practicing joint crisis response operations, improving notification and information exchange procedures, and specialist training.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the council's authorized members selected a new chairman - Alexander Kurenkov, the Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief of the Russian Federation. He thanked Kyrgyzstan for its effective coordination of the interaction among the CSTO emergency agencies and assured that the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief would continue to chair the Emergency Coordination Council in a spirit of true cooperation and brotherhood.
The next meeting will be held in the Russian Federation in 2026.
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