A Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Project Is Being Launched in Ashgabat
The national component of the major program "Strengthening Regional Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia" was launched in Ashgabat. The initiative, which will cover all five countries in the region, is funded by the Government of Japan (with approximately $4.9 million) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Natural disasters respect no national borders, meaning it's more effective to prepare for them together. The project aims to establish direct communication between rescue agencies in neighboring countries through a coordination center in Almaty. This will allow specialists to more quickly exchange information and conduct joint emergency drills.
For Turkmenistan, the program also includes specific practical steps. In particular, it is planned to pilot an earthquake early warning system in a school in Ashgabat. This step will help strengthen collaboration between seismologists and the Ministry of Defense's civil defense agencies, as well as test a working warning model that could eventually be used at other sites.
The launch of the initiative was discussed at a roundtable discussion at the Archabil Hotel, attended by representatives of 16 Turkmen ministries and agencies. UNDP Resident Representative Narine Saakyan and Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Sasaki emphasized that the primary goal of these efforts is to protect lives and help local communities in Central Asia respond promptly and appropriately to any natural hazards.
