UNDP and the Government of Japan have launched a regional project, “Strengthening the System for Region-Wide Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia”, to enhance disaster resilience at both national and regional levels over the next two years. The new project, within the framework of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue, will focus 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.

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 impacts 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.

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.

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.

UNDP is committed to enhancing resilience to disaster risks in Central Asia through a people-centered, gender-responsive, disability-inclusive and risk-informed approach

The project will be implemented in close coordination and partnership with the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The project will support CESDRR in establishing a regional emergency response coordination mechanism for transboundary disaster response and recovery.

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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.