Heads of emergency departments from Central Asian countries signed a Joint Statement on cooperation to enhance the seismic resilience of the region in Tashkent. Podrobno.uz reported on April 30 that the event in the capital of Uzbekistan was timed to the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquake Victims, which was established by the UN General Assembly in 2025 at the initiative of Uzbekistan.

More than 300 people from 22 countries participated in the event, including representatives of governments, international organizations, seismologists, and risk management experts.

Tajikistan was represented by Rajabali Rahmonali, the head of the Emergencies Committee under the Government of Tajikistan.

The signed Joint Statement reaffirms the commitment to strengthening seismic resilience and enhancing emergency preparedness. It particularly emphasizes data sharing, the creation of early warning mechanisms, and the development of institutional capacity.

According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Uzbekistan, Central Asia remains one of the most seismically active regions in the world, with more than 23,000 tremors recorded annually. The historical memory of destructive earthquakes in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Almaty (Kazakhstan), the Chatkal region (Kyrgyzstan), and Hait (Tajikistan) underscores the necessity of joint efforts.

During the event, a new regional UNDP project funded by the government of Japan for $4.9 million was presented. The project aims to strengthen regional coordination and implement modern systems for earthquake monitoring and warning.

Earlier, at the Regional Environmental Summit in Astana, a resolution “Green Shield of Central Asia” was signed, which affirmed the political will of the countries in the region to create a system of protective forest belts and green barriers aimed at combating desertification, land degradation, and climate issues.