Central Asian states are jointly preparing for natural hazards and building capacities in vulnerability modelling

ALMATY, February 22, 2022 – The virtual workshop "Vulnerability modelling for disaster risk assessment at the regional scale: an application in Central Asia" started today and will span until February 25, 2022. About 300 disaster risk management professionals have registered for this four-day event which will provide an overview of methods and challenges to achieve regionally consistent vulnerability models. Participants will be learning about tools and techniques commonly used for vulnerability assessment for different perils, with a focus on data and application in Central Asian countries.

The diverse landscape of Central Asia is prone to various natural hazards. Accelerated by a changing climate, these hazards are causing a dramatic number of casualties and significant economic losses. As reported in the Disaster Risk Profile for the region, natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods cost Central Asia $10 billion a year. With the significant progress that Central Asian countries made over the last decades, more regional collaboration and approach is needed to benefit the region and strengthen disaster risk management capacities for more comprehensive solutions for national and transboundary issues. The joint efforts and consolidated data can also help the region to move from response and recovery to prevention and preparedness.

This workshop facilitates capacity building of local experts, policy makers, institutions, and research groups with a role in disaster risk management and emergency planning on vulnerability modelling and further development of regionally consistent risk information. Participants will be equipped with new methods that they can directly apply in their daily ambitions to reduce disaster risks across Central Asia.

This is the seventh of a series of regional and country-based workshops on risk assessment in Central Asia and a direct contribution to European Union and World Bank/GFDRR efforts towards enhancing regional coordination and maximizing the impact of national efforts in disaster risk management.

The workshops are organized in the framework of the EU-funded Program “Strengthening Financial Resilience and Accelerating Risk Reduction in Central Asia” (SFRARR). The SFRARR Program – managed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and implemented by the World Bank in close collaboration with the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR) – supports Central Asian countries in building disaster resilience and strengthening capacities for financial protection.

For additional information, please contact:

Ms. Elnura Abakanova, Communications officer, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, e-mail: elnura.abakanova@eeas.europa.eu;

Ms. Chyi-Yun Huang, Senior Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management Specialist, World Bank, e-mail: chuang@worldbank.org.