Turkmenistan launches National Platform for disaster risk reduction and commits to strengthening coordination in DRR

The participants, including the Deputy Ministers of the national entities comprising the Interagency Working Group, heads of UN entities – members of the UN Country Team in Turkmenistan, the Deputy Representative of the EU delegation in Turkmenistan, national experts and UN specialists on DRR issues, discussed the role and functions of the Interagency Working Group, functioning as the National Platform for DRR, in facilitating the exchange of information, creating synergies between national and international actors in DRR, implementing the State Program, and rationalizing resources required to mainstream DRR into development policies, planning and programmes.

The UN Country Team expressed its support to the National Platform, and stressed the importance of collaboration under its thematic pillars, which were proposed by the UNDRR Central Asia Initiative, supported by the European Union:

1. Risk identification, assessment, and projection of tendencies
2. Disaster risk reduction actions
3. Disaster risk financing 
4. Preparedness and response to disasters and emergencies
5. Post-disaster recovery

Mr. Dovran Durdyev, Deputy Minister of Defence and Head of the Main Directorate of Civil Defence and Rescue Operations, highlighted that “the Interagency Working Group for Disaster Risk Reduction will contribute to the creation of solid foundation for the coordinated cooperation on matters of disaster risk reduction, preparedness and emergency response”.

“The UN in Turkmenistan highly appreciates the commitment of the Government to improve the system of disaster risk management, which is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of common efforts in this area”, emphasized Mr. Dmytro Shlapachenko, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan.                          

Deputy Head of Mission of the EU Delegation to Turkmenistan, Ms. Renata Wrobel, said: “The EU believes that a robust understanding of disaster risks is the first step towards addressing risks effectively and framing risk management. The EU Delegation stands ready to support the newly established Interagency Working Group for disaster risk reduction through the Central Asia Programme.”

Chief of UNDRR Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, Mr. Octavian Bivol underlined that “National Platforms for DRR are a crucial mechanism for effective coordination and coherent implementation of DRR strategies, plans and actions across national and regional levels”.

The participants also reviewed the interlinkages between the principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, activities of the National Programme for Realization of the State Policy in Civil Defence and Rescue Operations and the provisions of the Memoranda of Understanding between the Government of Turkmenistan and the United Nations on cooperation in emergency preparedness and response, and the climate change mitigation and adaptation signed in 2019 and 2021 respectively.  

The meeting agreed that the UN-Government experts would discuss specific issues of the National Sendai Platform rollout and inter-sectoral coordination during the UNDRR-led workshop on 23 February 2022.      

Background information

The EU-funded project “Strengthening disaster resilience and accelerating implementation of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia”, implemented by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), aims to support countries in the region to implement the Sendai Framework priorities. The project supports strengthening regional coordination, development of a regional DRR strategy, national disaster loss accounting systems, and community level disaster risk reduction. At the local level, the project supports development of disaster resilience strategies for capital cities. The EU has committed EUR 3,750,000 for the three-year implementation of this project.

The National Platform for DRR is a multi-stakeholder national mechanism that will coordinate actions on risk reduction. The Platform is based on a set of principles, including national ownership and leadership of the DRR process. The collaboration between UNDRR and the Government of Turkmenistan is guided by the State Programme for implementation of primary areas of state policy in the field of civil defence for 2019–2030 (approved by the Decree of the President of Turkmenistan #1156, dated 1 March 2019, and recognized as the National Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction) The Action Plan for the implementation of the State Programme includes disaster preparedness, response, mitigation and prevention activities. Developing international cooperation in implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 has been specifically outlined in the Action Plan. 

For additional information please contact

Ms. Elnura Abakanova, Communications officer, Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan, at: elnura.abakanova@eeas.europa.eu    

Mr. Abdurahim Muhidov, UNDRR Regional Programme Coordinator, at: muhidov@un.org

Ms. Ogulgerek Annayeva, UNDRR National Technical Officer, at: ogulgerek.annayeva@un.org