Ashgabat, 13 July 2026 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Civil Defence and Rescue Operations Directorate under the Ministry of Defence of Turkmenistan, today launched the national component of the regional project Strengthening the System for Region-wide Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia. Funded by the Government of Japan, the initiative is being implemented across all five Central Asian countries to strengthen regional cooperation and national capacities for disaster preparedness and response.
The project promotes stronger cross-border collaboration on disaster risk reduction through close cooperation with the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It supports the establishment of a regional coordination mechanism that will enhance information sharing, joint preparedness and coordinated response to disasters affecting multiple countries.
The launch was marked by an inception roundtable held at the Archabil Hotel in Ashgabat, bringing together representatives of 16 government ministries and agencies, civil society organizations and international partners to discuss project priorities and implementation arrangements.
“Disasters do not stop at national borders, which is why regional cooperation is critical to protecting people’s lives, livelihoods and sustainable development. In partnership with the Government of Japan and national institutions, UNDP is supporting stronger disaster preparedness systems, enhanced regional coordination mechanisms and practical solutions that enable communities to better withstand future risks,” said Ms. Narine Sahakyan, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan.
“This project is highly important because it strengthens early warning systems, disaster preparedness, institutional capacity, and information sharing among countries. These efforts will help protect lives of people and communities across Central Asia,” said H.E. Mr. Sasaki Hiroshi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Turkmenistan. “Japan is proud to support this initiative through a financial contribution of approximately USD 4.9 million. We are pleased that this support will help strengthen regional cooperation and enhance disaster preparedness across Central Asia.”
The inception event formed part of a two-day mission by the project’s regional team from the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, together with representatives of CESDRR. The mission also included bilateral consultations with national counterparts to discuss implementation priorities and identify opportunities for strengthening disaster risk management capacities in Turkmenistan.
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About the project
The regional project Strengthening the System for Region-wide Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia is implemented from January 2026 to January 2028 with financial support from the Government of Japan.
At the regional level, the project strengthens the Regional Emergency Response Coordination Mechanism by improving information exchange, coordination and cooperation among Central Asian countries in preparing for and responding to cross-border disasters.
In Turkmenistan, the project will pilot a sector-specific earthquake early warning system in a school in Ashgabat while strengthening collaboration between national seismological and civil defence institutions. The initiative will also support preparedness training and contribute to the development of a scalable model for early earthquake warning and disaster preparedness that can be expanded to other locations in the future. ///nCa, 13 July 2026 (in cooperation with UNDPA Turkmenistan)