The U.S.-Russian Bilateral Presidential Commission's working group on cooperation in prevention and handling of emergency situations signed a joint statement in Moscow.
The statement was signed by Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu and Administrator of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Craig Fugate.
"This is the first meeting between Russian and U.S. chief emergency officials under the presidential program," Head of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry’s Department of International Activity Yury Brazhnikov told journalists on Friday, July 23.
The parties have outlined key areas of cooperation over the next few years in line with the objectives set by the Russian and U.S. leaders, he said.
Among such areas of U.S.-Russian cooperation are the joint assessment of food security and preparedness for emergencies in Central Asia, joint humanitarian response drills in third countries and the increased exchange of specialists and information between the Russian and U.S. humanitarian aid agencies.
One of the immediate U.S.-Russian projects is providing aid to the Kyrgyz population, Brazhnikov said.
"We [Russia] are conducting a humanitarian aid mission in Kyrgyzstan and have now started working under the guidance of the United Nations. We will also try the experience of our cooperation with the U.S.," Brazhnikov said.
