LocationsCentral Asia launches Urban Resilience Coalition at Regional Dialogue
October 20, 2025
In a region increasingly vulnerable to disasters and climate-induced risks, the Regional Urban Resilience Dialogue, held in Dushanbe, marked a significant milestone in advancing sustainable urban development across Central Asia. Organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and hosted by the Government of Tajikistan, the event brought together national authorities, municipal leaders, and experts from all five Central Asian countries, as well as international development partners.
The Dialogue was convened under UNDP’s regional project, “Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central Asia,” funded by the Government of Japan. The project is being implemented in pilot cities of Petropavlovsk (Kazakhstan), Osh (Kyrgyz Republic), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), and Namangan (Uzbekistan). Anchored in the Sendai Framework and the Paris Agreement, the project supports Central Asian countries in addressing disaster and climate risks as part of their development course, ensuring that local communities are more resilient in the face of hazards.
A central outcome of the Dialogue was the launch of the Regional Urban Resilience Coalition in Central Asia. This new cooperation mechanism, formalized through a Joint Declaration by representatives of pilot cities, aims to foster inter-city collaboration, promote climate-resilient urban development, and contribute to the global Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) campaign.
The Dialogue featured high-level participation from municipal leaders of Dushanbe, Petropavlovsk, Osh, Ashgabat, and Namangan, who presented experiences and aspirations for resilient urban futures of their cities. The discussions highlighted the diversity of approaches being taken across the region, from infrastructure upgrades and risk profiling to community engagement and inclusive planning.
“We are pleased that Namangan, along with Osh, Dushanbe, Ashgabat, and Petropavlovsk, is joining the Coalition of Urban Resilient Cities of Central Asia. We fully support this initiative,” said Mr. Shukhrat Maksumov, Head of Namangan Region Ecology Department, Uzbekistan.
Throughout the Dialogue, participants explored regional and international initiatives that support urban resilience, including Japan’s master plan approach and GIZ’s efforts to promote urban development in Central Asia. UNDP, in turn, presented an integrated urban resilience approach that has been applied in the pilot cities and supports the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation principles into urban development planning. It was presented alongside other initiatives such as the MCR2030 campaign, the Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) programme, and the GAP Fund, offering Central Asian cities a range of resources to strengthen their resilience efforts.
City-level sessions provided municipalities with a platform to share technical progress and lessons learned. Representatives from pilot cities presented updates on their risk assessments and planning processes, reflecting the diversity of approaches and contexts across the region. These exchanges underscored the value of peer learning and regional solidarity in addressing complex urban challenges.
The second day of the Dialogue focused on technical discussions among UNDP Country Offices, national experts, and city representatives. Participants reviewed interim findings from field visits, discussed entry points for integrating resilience into urban planning, and explored the potential of AI to support data-driven decision-making.
The Regional Urban Resilience Dialogue contributes to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Strategy for the Development of Cooperation of Central Asian Countries in Disaster Risk Reduction for 2022–2030. It reaffirms the commitment of Central Asian Member States and their development partners to building resilient urban futures.
