A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED

At the beginning of the year 2017, there was too much precipitation in Tajikistan. As a result of very much snowfall in mountainous areas of that country in January-February this year, large avalanches occurred. There were more than 500 such occurrences in the territory of that country. Unfortunately, the natural disaster not only caused economic losses but also led to casualties.

Uzbekistan, which is a close neighbour of Tajikistan and a brotherly country, was among the first to respond to an appeal for help from that country’s government in dealing with the aftermath of this natural disaster.

In a short space of time, more than 60 tonnes of humanitarian aid items were put together and sent to Tajikistan in accordance with an instruction from President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

At dawn on 7 March, lorries carrying this humanitarian aid consisting of foodstuffs, medicines and medical-purpose goods, building materials, coal, warm clothes and other essentials reached Sukhondaryo Region’s Uzun District that borders on Tajikistan.

There representatives of the Uzun District hokimiyat (governorate), employees of educational establishments, young people and veterans met the delegation bringing the humanitarian supplies, led by Komil Aripov, the first deputy minister of emergency situations.

They said that Uzbekistan’s leadership made a decision in a timely manner to provide this humanitarian aid to the neighbouring country. They praised this initiative and said bon voyage to the delegation’s members.

The Uzbek delegation crossed through the “Sariosiyo” border checkpoint into the Tajik border town of Tursunzoda. There the chairman of the emergency situations committee of Tajikistan, R.Nazarzoda; representatives of a number of ministries and departments of that county, and Sh.Shoislomov, the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Tajikistan, met the delegation. Relevant documents were drawn up, and the convoy of lorries carrying humanitarian cargoes headed for the capital city Dushanbe.

The humanitarian cargoes from Uzbekistan were delivered to Tajikistan’s state acquisitions storage facility in Dushanbe. A briefing was held for journalists there.

The delegation’s leader, Komil Aripov, the first deputy minister of Uzbekistan’s ministry of emergency situations, spoke to representatives of mass media and said that it was not the first time that Uzbekistan had provided humanitarian aid to the neighbouring country in a difficult situation and that a few years ago, Uzbekistan also supplied Tajikistan with building materials, medicines, foodstuffs and other goods. As K.Aripov said, this indicates that Uzbekistan is always ready to give a helping hand to its neighbours in the region.

R.Nazarzoda, the chairman of the emergency situations committee of the Republic of Tajikistan, said for his part that Dushanbe had appealed to a number of countries in the region and international organizations for humanitarian help. According to information from him, Uzbekistan is among the first to give a helping hand to its neighbour.

“On behalf of the government of Tajikistan, I express gratitude to the government of Uzbekistan for this help provided in a timely manner. Due to efforts of Uzbekistan’s ministry of emergency situations and other departments the humanitarian cargoes were delivered to Tajikistan on time. Many thanks to you, dear Uzbek friends!” R.Nazarzoda said in a statement.

Uzbekistan’s representatives successfully carried out this responsible task of humanitarian aid delivery, and they returned to the Motherland, feeling proud of their efforts. Feelings of joy and gratitude could be seen on the faces of those Tajiks. Their close neighbour will not forsake them in a time of need. This clearly shows that Uzbekistan conducts a policy of good neighbourliness in Central Asia.

UzA - Jahon IA