New disaster risk reduction initiative launched in Kazakhstan

Some parts of Kazakhstan, including East and South-East Kazakhstan are particularly prone to natural disasters. Earthquakes, floods, mudflows, and landslides are the most common natural disasters in these regions. The country incurs $ 63 million in economic losses from natural and technogenic disasters every year. To reduce the damage, there is a need to render proactive risk reduction practices, the UNDP's press release reads.

Timely disaster preparedness and mitigation measures can effectively decrease vulnerability to natural disasters, and improve people's capacities to cope and respond to these events. The new project will help the government and people be better prepared for disasters by piloting risk assessments and mitigation measures and supporting the integration of successful methodologies into the country legal and regulatory disaster risk reduction (DRR) framework.

UNDP will support concrete community-level measures to minimize the damage from flooding and landslides. The objective is to create a resilient society supported by strong communities.

UNDP will also work to raise awareness of the importance of disaster preparedness and risk reduction by applying UNDP worldwide development experience and best practices. It will also bring top experts to Kazakhstan to help reform institutional and legal frameworks and enhance national capacities.

UNDP will work together with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Red Crescent Society of the Republic of Kazakhstan and UNICEF. It will work on national and oblast level, with practical work being carried out in the communities of Tekeli in Almaty oblast, in flood-prone communities close to Semey and in remote mountain communities close to Ust-Kamenogorsk. These activities will promote the further institutionalization and sustainability of the DRR system in Kazakhstan. The duration of the project is 18 months. Project budget: $774 133.