LocationsTen Central Asian cities join forces in Tashkent to prepare for disasters
October 20, 2026
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – As cities across Central Asia face growing risks from climate change and natural hazards, representatives from five countries came together in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 19–20 October to strengthen cooperation and help communities better prepare for climate and disaster risks.
At the Second Regional Urban Resilience Dialogue, five additional cities joined the Urban Resilience Coalition, bringing its membership to 10. National seismological institutions also signed a memorandum to strengthen cooperation on earthquake risks.
The Dialogue brought together government officials, city leaders and experts from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to advance practical solutions to the growing risks posed by natural hazards and climate change.
Organized by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Uzbekistan, the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Dialogue was supported by the Government of Japan through two regional projects: Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central Asia and Strengthening the System for Region-wide Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia.
“Our message is clear: urban development must be risk-informed . Every investment in prevention, preparedness and resilient infrastructure saves lives and protects development gains,” - said Akiko Fujii, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan in her opening speech.
“Our challenges are significant. The structural vulnerabilities in housing and infrastructure remain, rapid urbanization outpaces risk management capacity, and the impacts of climate change accelerate. This is precisely why sustained international partnership matters. Japan continues to share its experiences, its knowledge, and its resources in support of regional and international cooperation to reduce and manage disaster risk,” - emphasized in the speech by Kenji Hirata, Ambassador of Japan to Uzbekistan that was read during the event on his behalf.
“We are open to working with governments, development partners, UN agencies, the scientific community, and non-governmental organizations. Our shared goal is safe and sustainable cities and communities”, - concluded his speech Khurshid Sotiev, Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The Dialogue marked two important steps towards making Central Asian cities safer and better prepared for disasters.
First, the Urban Resilience Coalition expanded from five to 10 cities. Launched in 2025 with Petropavl (Kazakhstan), Osh (Kyrgyz Republic), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) and Namangan (Uzbekistan), the Coalition welcomed additional cities of Bishkek and Manas (Kyrgyz Republic), Isfara (Tajikistan), and Fergana and Kokand (Uzbekistan). Osh, Manas, Isfara, Fergana and Kokand are supported by GIZ, and Osh among them became a bridge between the two initiatives implemented by UNDP and GIZ.
Second, national seismological institutions agreed to strengthen cooperation on earthquake preparedness. A new Memorandum signed today in Tashkent provides a framework for sharing scientific knowledge, improving coordination and helping countries better understand and prepare for earthquake risks.
Throughout the Dialogue, participants also exchanged experiences from UNDP-supported cities, explored practical tools for disaster preparedness and learned from Japan’s experience in building safer, more resilient cities.
In his speech, Davletbek Tugolbaev of the Bishkek Mayor’s Office - that is among five new cities joining the coalition - introduced a symbolic image of “tunduk” - the circular crown of a Central Asian yurt where all the supporting poles converge to hold up the roof.
“Bishkek wholeheartedly welcomes the Coalition of Sustainable Cities of Central Asia, established by UNDP and the Centre for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction. This Coalition is our tunduk — a shared roof over our region, bringing together the knowledge, experience and solutions of all our cities”, said Mr. Tugolbaev, joining the Coalition.
By bringing cities, scientists and governments together, the Dialogue supports Central Asian countries in turning regional cooperation into practical action to protect people and build more resilient communities. These efforts also contribute to national risk reduction and development strategies, as well as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
