On 10–11 July, a seminar was held in Ashgabat to present the concept of a new UNDP regional project, ‘Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risks and Climate Change in Central Asia.’ This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal.

The initiative is being implemented with the support of the Government of Japan in partnership with the Ashgabat City Administration and the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan.

The event brought together a wide range of participants, including representatives of government agencies, international and scientific institutions involved in urban planning, sustainable development, climate and disaster risk reduction.

Tomica Paovic, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Turkmenistan, emphasised the importance of the project for the region, which is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, and noted the need to build sustainable cities.

Participants discussed the framework for a roadmap for the sustainable development of Ashgabat, the formation of a working group and the stages of project implementation.

The project covers five countries in the region and will run until 2027, focusing on sustainable urban development and climate adaptation in the face of growing environmental threats.