The Central Asia region—comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—is highly vulnerable to frequent disasters such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, and landslides, which cause an estimated $10 billion in annual economic losses. For residents and businesses in disaster-prone areas, the exposure to such shocks can have devastating, long-term impacts, reversing development progress and perpetuating poverty.
In an era of increasing risk and changing climate, enhancing disaster risk financing mechanisms and strengthening social protection systems are crucial for improving preparedness, preventing crises, and supporting more effective response efforts.
To enhance financial resilience and support risk-informed investment planning for building disaster and climate resilience in the region, the Strengthening Financial Resilience and Accelerating Risk Reduction in Central Asia program (SFRARR) was introduced.
The program is funded by the EU and is implemented by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the World Bank in close collaboration with the Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR).
On October 14-15, 2024, the World Bank, in collaboration with its partners (EU, GFDRR, UNICEF, and CESDRR), is organizing a regional forum that will review the SFRARR program’s key deliverables, provide opportunities for sharing knowledge and lessons learned, and engage stakeholders and beneficiaries in discussions on sustaining its achievements. The forum will also focus on leveraging social protection systems in Central Asia to adapt policies, legal frameworks, financing, and programs for greater resilience to increasing risks.
The forum’s target audience includes representatives from government agencies responsible for national disaster management, health, social protection, finance, and insurance, as well as research institutions, academia, international organizations, and development partners.
Agenda
Day 1: Achievements of the EU-funded SFRARR Central Asia Program (moderated by Bakhtiyar Ospanov, Senior Expert, CESDRR)
8:30 – 9:00 | Registration of in-person participants and welcome coffee/tea |
9:00 – 9:30 | Welcome and Framing of the Regional Forum This session will set the scene of the Forum and subsequent discussions about achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations for future work. Welcome remarks will be provided by: - H.E. Mrs Aleška Simkić, Ambassador of the European Union to Kazakhstan (recorded) - Ms. Indu John-Abraham, Operations Manager & Head of the Central Asia Regional Office, World Bank - Dr Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, Representative, UNICEF Kazakhstan (recorded) - Mr. Serik Aubakirov, Director, CESDRR |
9:30 – 10:00 | Background of the SFRARR Program The speakers will present a summary of the program objectives and highlights from five years of implementation: - Mr. Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan - Mr. Stephan Zimmermann, Disaster Risk Management Specialist, GFDRR |
10:00 – 10:30 | Photo-opportunity and coffee break |
10:30 – 11:15 | Session 1: Regional Cooperation and the Regional Scientific and Technical Council (RSTC) for Emergency Situations Moderated by CESDRR, the session will discuss how regional capacities have been improved over the last years and give a platform to the leadership of the CESDRR to discuss persistent needs and challenges region faces. Speakers include: - Mr. Serik Aubakirov, Director, CESDRR; - Mr. Bolot Moldobekov, CAIAG Co-Director and RSTC Chair. |
11:15 – 12:00 | Session 2: Regionally-consistent, Multi-hazard Disaster Risk Assessment and its Application in Central Asia Moderated by Ms. Chyi-Yun Huang, Senior Disaster Risk Management and Urban Development Specialist World Bank, this session will discuss the impact of the regionally consistent multi-hazard risk assessment on the DRM/DRF agenda and present early applications. Speakers include: - Mr. Pulod Aminzoda, Director, Institute of geology, seismic construction, and seismology of National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan. (online); - Ms. Guljemal Saryyeva, Director, Institute of Seismology and Atmosphere Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan; - Mr. Bekzod Khikmatov, Head of Department of Science and Technology Development in the field of Civil and Territory Protection, MoES of Uzbekistan; - National representative from MoES of Kazakhstan (TBC). |
12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
13:30 – 14:15 | Session 3: Disaster Risk Financing Solutions for Central Asia Moderated by Mr. Ganbaatar Jambal, Senior Financial Sector Specialist at the World Bank, panelists will discuss how national governments have used the technical assistance provided through the SFRARR Program and elaborate on their DRF strategies and initiatives. Speakers include: - Mr. Iskender Omurkulov, Chief Specialist, Service for Regulation and Supervision of the Financial Markets under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic; - Mr. Umidjon Nurmatov, Head of the lnsurance Market Regulation Department, National Agency of perspective projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan; - National representative from Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for regulation and development of the financial market (TBC). |
14:15 – 15:00 | Session 4: Collaborative Approaches to Enhance Resilience in Central Asia Moderated by Mr. Stephan Zimmermann, Disaster Risk Management Specialist, GFDRR, this session will frame a discussion about the wider collaboration among international organizations for the benefit of beneficiary governments in Central Asia. Representatives of international organizations include: - Ms. Samal Bekmaganbetova, National Technical Officer in Kazakhstan, UNDRR - Ms. Olessya Zhuravleva, Country Cluster Delegation for Central Asia, IFRC |
15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee break |
15:30 – 16:15 | Summary of SFRARR’s Achievements, Lessons Learned, Recommendations, and Next Steps This session will recap the day and summarize the achievements, lessons learned, recommendations, and allow participants to share their perspectives on persisting challenges at the regional and national level and which solutions may prove effective and how. - Ms. Chyi-Yun Huang, Senior Disaster Risk Management and Urban Development Specialist |
16:15 – 16:30 | Conclusion Day 1 To conclude Day 1, representatives of the EU and the World Bank will briefly address how the SFRARR Program has complemented the work on their organization in Central Asia and map out their hopes for the future of DRM and international cooperation in the region. - Ms. Gulnara Dussupova, Programme Manager, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan - Ms. Cristina Otano, Senior Operations Officer, GFDRR |
18:00 – 20:00 | Dinner |
Day 2: Advancing Adaptive and Shock – Responsive Social Protection in Central Asia (moderated by Oraz Sultanov, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank)
8:30 – 9:00 | Registration of in-person participants and welcome coffee/tea |
9:00 – 9:30 | Welcome and Setting the Scene of Day 2 This session will build on the lessons learned from Day 1 of the Forum and set the scene for discussing the role of social protection in a context of increasing risk. It will be moderated by Oraz Sultanov, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank and welcome remarks will be provided by: - Mr. Olzhas Anafin, Vice Minister, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, Kazakhstan; - Mr. Samman Thapa, Representative, UNICEF Kyrgyz Republic (recorded) - Ms. Tazeen Fasih, Lead Economist, World Bank |
9:30 – 11:00 | Session 1: Taking Stock and Readiness Assessments This session will be moderated by Aysenem Agabayeva, Social Policy Specialist UNICEF Turkmenistan and will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and readiness of Social Protection systems for Adaptive Social Protection. - Marina Novikova, Senior Social Protection Economist, World Bank; - National Representative from Kazakhstan (TBC); - Mr. Mukhtarbek Baimurzaev, First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration, Kyrgyz Republic; - Mr. Qudratullo Kurbanov, Head of Department, Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population, Tajikistan; - Mr. Meretgeldi Annayarov, Deputy Chairperson of Pension Fund of Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Turkmenistan; - Mr. Murodjon Khalikov, Chief Specialist, National Agency on Social Protection, Uzbekistan. |
11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee break |
11:30 – 12:30 | Session 2: Social Protection and Climate Change This session will be moderated by Diana King, Social Policy Specialist UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, and will explore the critical role of social protection in supporting climate action – including mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage action – and ensuring a just transition to net zero. Speakers will include: - Ms. Diana King, Social Policy Specialist UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office; - Mr. Nangar Soomro, Chief of Social Policy and Child Rights Monitoring, UNICEF Tajikistan; - National Representative from Uzbekistan (TBC); - Mr. Javier Sanchez-Reaza, Senior Economist on Social Protection, World Bank (online). |
12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch |
13:30 – 15:00 | Session 3: Policies and Frameworks, and Financing for Shock-Responsive Social Protection / Adaptive Social Protection (SRSP/ASP) This session will be moderated by Nangar Soomro, Chief of Social Policy and Child Rights Monitoring, UNICEF Tajikistan, and will discuss how to strengthen policies and frameworks, and financing for Shock-Responsive Social Protection / Adaptive Social Protection, with examples drawn from the following cases: - Mr. Alejandro Gonzales, Consultant in Adaptive Social Protection for the World Bank (online); - Ms. Maksat Tularbek kyzy and Ms. Adel Dzhoomartova, Social Support to Vulnerable Population in Emergency situations, Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration, Kyrgyz Republic; - National Representative from Uzbekistan (TBC); - Ms. Zoe Scott, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia / Tajikistan consultant (online); - National Representative from Kazakhstan (TBC).
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15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee break |
15:30 – 16:45 | Session 4: Digitalization and Management Information Systems (MIS) The session will be moderated by Ivan Shulga, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank and will focus on latest Information Technology solutions and examples on the use of advanced digital solutions to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of social protection systems. - World Bank representatives; - Mr. Qurdatullo Qurbonzoda, Head of the Social Protection Department, Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population, Republic of Tajikistan; - Mr. Abdurakhmon Ashuralizoda, Director of the Agency for Labor and Employment under the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment of the Population, Republic of Tajikistan; - Mr. Zayniddin Aralov, Chief Specialist, National Agency on Social Protection, Uzbekistan; - National Representative from Kazakhstan; - Mr. Oleksandr Morozov, Head of Osh Office, World Food Program (WFP) in the Kyrgyz Republic (online). |
16:45 – 17:15 | Wrap-up and Closure of the Regional Forum To conclude Day 2 and the Forum, representatives of the EU, the World Bank, and UNICEF will briefly wrap up key points about the SFRARR Program and the work being done to advance adaptive and shock-responsive social protection and express their hopes for further collaboration that can continue to strengthen the financial resilience and accelerate risk reduction in Central Asia. The session will be moderated by Oraz Sultanov, Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank, and remarks will be provided by: - Mr. Paolo Belli, Practice Manager for Social Protection and Jobs for Europe and Central Asia, World Bank, online - Ms. Diana King, Europe and Central Asia Regional Social Policy Specialist, UNICEF - Mr. Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan (recorded) |
DETAILS
- WHEN: October 14-15, 2024
- WHERE: Rixos Almaty Hotel, 506/99 Seifullin Avenue, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan