Enhancing Ammunition Safety: OSCE Fosters Regional Co-operation in Central Asia

On 12 March 2025, a regional seminar on methods for testing ammunition propellants, aimed at enhancing ammunition safety and strengthening regional co-operation, took place in Bishkek. Organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek in partnership with the Ministry of Defence of the Kyrgyz Republic and with support from the Ministry of Defence of Austria, the event brought together officers from the Ministries of Defence of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Participants discussed best practices for conducting stability testing of ammunition using the Qualitative Propellant Analysis Kit (QPAK), a Level 1 mobile laboratory. Experts from the Ministry of Defence of Austria shared their expertise on assessing propellant stability and mitigating the risks of accidental explosions at ammunition storage sites. 

Konstantin Bedarev, Head of the Politico-Military Department of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, highlighted the importance of regional co-operation: "Strengthening co-operation between our countries will help develop effective solutions that contribute to increased security and sustainable ammunition management in the region."

This initiative is part of an ongoing series of activities within the extra-budgetary project “Improvement of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Conventional Ammunition (CA) Life-Cycle Management Capacity of the Ministry of Defence of the Kyrgyz Republic,” supported by Austria, France, Germany, Norway, and Switzerland.