During the seminar on July 10-11, the concept of a new regional project “Strengthening the resilience of cities to disaster risks and climate change in Central Asia” was presented. It was launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with the Ashgabat city administration and with the participation of the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan.
The new project is being implemented with funding from the Government of Japan.
The workshop brought together a wide range of stakeholders involved in urban development, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and socio-economic development in Turkmenistan, according to a UNDP press release.
Participants included representatives of the Embassy of Japan in Turkmenistan, city and district administrations of Ashgabat responsible for city planning and development, as well as representatives of ministries and departments—construction and architecture, finance and economy, environmental protection, agriculture, labor and social protection, defense, education, academia, and development partners. The event was also attended by experts from specialized institutions, including design institutes, research centers, civil defense agencies, and organizations working in the field of disaster risk reduction and seismic hazards.
In his welcoming speech, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Turkmenistan Mr. Tomica Paovic noted the importance of this regional project, emphasizing:
“The Central Asian region faces increasing vulnerability to a wide range of natural hazards – earthquakes, floods, droughts, avalanches and landslides – all of which have a devastating impact on lives, infrastructure and economic development. Building resilient cities is not just a challenge, it is vital for the future of Central Asia.”
Mr. Paovic also noted that Turkmenistan is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, dust storms, mudflows, floods, droughts and desertification, especially in the context of rapid urban growth and the presence of structural vulnerabilities that increase the impact of these risks.
During the two-day workshop, participants also familiarized themselves with the proposed initial framework for the Ashgabat Sustainable Development Roadmap, and discussed the establishment of a technical working group and the proposed project implementation schedule.
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The project “Strengthening the resilience of cities to disaster risks and climate change in Central Asia” is being implemented in five Central Asian countries from 2024 to 2027. The initiative aims to improve the quality of urban development, strengthen adaptation to climate change and reduce disaster risks in the context of increasing environmental and climate challenges.
https://turkmenportal.com/blog/92796/v-turkmenistane-prezentovana-koncepciya-novogo-regionalnogo-proekta-proon
Machine Translated by Google