Azernews.Az

BAKU – The OSCE Office in Baku on Wednesday announced that four non-governmental organizations that work in the field of environment and security will receive small grants to finance their work.

The OSCE Office will award the selected NGOs - REC Caucasus Azerbaijan, the Umid Humanitarian and Social Support Centre, the Support to Healthcare Development Public Union and the Support to Development of Tourism in Khinalig Public Union – with grants ranging from 7,000 to 9,000 Euros.

These grants will finance projects helping promote alternative energy sources in small farms; encourage efficient energy use; manage hazardous medical waste and chemicals, as well as monitor summer pastures around the ancient Khinalig village.

The grants are part of the OSCE Office in Baku's Civic Action for Security and Environment (CASE) programme, which started in 2009.

"The winning projects have the potential to contribute to increased awareness and intensified dialogue on environment and security challenges facing Azerbaijan," said Jan Olsson, Head of Economic and Environmental Unit of the OSCE Office in Baku. "Energy efficiency and the promotion of renewable energy, the focus of two of the projects, is in line with the OSCE's work to promote the development of sustainable energy sources."

Chingiz Mammadov, UNDP Senior Programme Adviser, added: "The CASE programme has led to greater engagement of the civil society organizations in promoting environmental co-operation, participation and capacity building."

The CASE programme in Azerbaijan is funded by Statoil and the Governments of Austria, Canada and United States.