(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 11. A new United Nations Development Program (UNDP) regional initiative to strengthen the climate and disaster resilience of Central Asian cities has been launched in Ashgabat, Trend reports, citing UNDP.

The project, supported by the Government of Japan, sets its sights on weaving climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction into the fabric of urban planning practices. A two-day inception workshop, held on July 10–11 at the UN building in Ashgabat, marked the beginning of implementation. It brought together stakeholders from Turkmenistan's national and local authorities, design institutions, academia, and development partners.

The event facilitated the alignment of stakeholders on a strategic framework aimed at enhancing Ashgabat's adaptive capacity to environmental perturbations. Stakeholders reached a consensus to establish a specialized technical working group to facilitate this initiative.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Tomica Paovic underscored the pronounced susceptibility of Turkmenistan's metropolitan zones to seismic activities, hydrological inundation, and the encroachment of arid conditions. He articulated that climate-induced calamities present multifaceted threats not solely to structural integrity but also to the enduring fiscal equilibrium within the region.

The initiative is slated to extend until 2027 and encompasses a quintet of Central Asian nations. In Turkmenistan, the initiative is being executed in collaboration with the Ashgabat City Administration and the Ministry of Construction and Architecture.

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