LocationsUNDP and Japan unite to boost earthquake awareness in Central Asia
December 21, 2025
His Excellency Yasumasa Iijima, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan in Kazakhstan, and Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.
UNDP and the Government of Japan have launched a regional project, “Strengthening the System for Region-Wide Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia.” The new project, within the framework of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue, aims to enhance disaster resilience at both national and regional levels over two years, focusing on improving earthquake awareness across Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in close cooperation with the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR), a regional disaster response and coordination hub, based in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
His Excellency Yasumasa Iijima, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan in Kazakhstan, and Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, signed the project partnership at a ceremony held in Astana, Kazakhstan, prior to the Central Asia plus Japan Summit, attended by the Prime Minister of Japan and the Presidents of five Central Asian countries.
At the signing ceremony, His Excellency Yasumasa Iijima emphasized the importance of being aware of and ready for disaster risks:
“Japan has developed expertise in disaster resilience over decades by learning lessons and working closely with municipalities and communities. Thus, it is an honor to support Central Asian countries in strengthening their disaster resilience.”
Central Asia has long been facing natural disasters, with average annual losses estimated at US$10 billion and more than 3 million people affected. The regional risk profile is complex, shaped by the growing impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and pollution. Earthquakes are a predominant risk factor in Central Asia, particularly in densely populated urban areas. The effects of seismic events in Central Asia are devastating, with the average annual economic losses of $2 billion, deaths and severe economic setbacks. Major disasters can damage local and shared infrastructure, displace populations across borders and challenge joint emergency management and recovery efforts.
“Development of disaster resilience systems for monitoring and alert systems is a high priority for us. It is critical to join efforts for regional cooperation and embrace digital solutions in addressing this challenge. I’m determined that the signing of this project will contribute greatly to the safety and resilience of our region, regions and communities,”said Abdyshev Batyrbek, Vice-Minister of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan.
To counter these risks, the new regional project aims to strengthen regional coordination through the Regional Emergency Response Coordination mechanism, ensuring a more effective approach to preparedness, response and recovery during large-scale cross-border disasters. It will prioritize raising awareness of earthquake risks, fostering readiness to mitigate impacts and introducing innovative earthquake monitoring and alert systems, drawing from the practical experiences of Japan and other countries.
“Earthquakes remain one of the major disaster risks across Central Asia, and they know no borders. This new project will leverage existing collaborative mechanisms and transformational strategies to better prepare for, respond to and recover from large-scale cross-border disasters. It will contribute to national development and align with global resilience frameworks, such as the Sendai Framework and the Paris Agreement,”reflected Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.
UNDP is committed to enhancing resilience to disaster risks in Central Asia through a people-centered, gender-responsive, disability-inclusive and risk-informed approach
“Urban resilience lies at the core of sustainable development. Our expanding partnership with the Government of Japan will help drive a regional agenda that protects communities, enhances earthquake preparedness and fosters resilient urban growth throughout Central Asia. Coordinated action across borders is essential, and UNDP’s regional presence brings the added value of convening partners, sharing knowledge, and ensuring that solutions are both locally grounded and regionally aligned,”shared Steliana Nedera, Manager of the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub.
The project will be implemented in close coordination and partnership with CESDRR. The project will support CESDRR in establishing a regional emergency response coordination mechanism for transboundary disaster response and recovery.
“CESDRR, as a permanent intergovernmental body — an international organization — expresses its willingness to become a key partner in implementing this regional project,”said Dzhergalbek Ukashev, Director of CESDRR.
The goal of UNDP and the Government of Japan’s “Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central Asia” regional project, launched in 2024, is to help cities across the region integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into urban planning and development. In 2025, the project advanced from inception to implementation in all five Central Asian countries. A significant milestone was the signing of the Joint Declaration to establish the Regional Urban Resilience Coalition by the municipalities of five pilot cities — Petropavlovsk (Kazakhstan), Osh (Kyrgyz Republic), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), and Namangan (Uzbekistan) during the Regional Urban Resilience Dialogue in Dushanbe. This new regional project will further enhance regional cooperation and resilience to disaster risks.
His Excellency Yasumasa Iijima, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan in Kazakhstan, and Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, Abdyshev Batyrbek, Vice-Minister of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan, representatives of the Embassy of Japan in Kazakhstan, UNDP Kazakhstan, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan.
