Tajikistan advances UN Secretary-General’s Early Warnings for All initiative through local level workshop consultations

Tajikistan emerged as one of the first thirty countries to roll out the Secretary General’s EW4ALL initiative, which was launched globally at COP27 in 2022, and nationally in Tajikistan in August 2023 co-Chaired by Mr. Sulaymon Ziyozoda, the Deputy Prime-Minister of Tajikistan and Ms. Parvathy Ramaswami the UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan.

The local consultations held during 19-30 April in Khujand, Khorog and Bokhtar aimed to discuss a draft EW4All Roadmap prepared by all involved, including government institutions, UN, international partners, EW4All Pillar Leads and to ensure localization and effective implementation of this initiative.   The workshops underscored the urgency of bridging the gap in early warning coverage in regions of the country that are vulnerable to avalanches, earthquakes, floods, mudflows, and landslides and brought together key stakeholders, including local and national level government representatives, UN agencies and international partners. 

UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Parvathy Ramaswami, who is co-leading this initiative jointly with the Deputy Prime-Minister of Tajikistan highlighted the importance of local level consultations and mentioned: “These consultations truly embrace localization, engaging with diverse stakeholders at sub-national level. It is a very timely opportunity to hear their voices and suggestions on mitigating the adverse consequences of climate change, on adapting actions to be better prepared, and responding effectively when needed. Early warning systems become effective when it is in practice at the local level and is sustainable when all sectors and levels of administration work together."

Moving forward, the insights gathered from these workshops will inform the finalization and approval of a comprehensive Roadmap to be endorsed during first half of 2024 at a national event. This collaborative approach, involving government agencies, development partners, civil society, and the private sector, reflects Tajikistan’s commitment to building resilient communities and contributing to global efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing climate change challenges.

Background: 

The Early Warnings for All Initiative calls for a global effort to ensure that such systems protect everyone on Earth by 2027. Early Warning Systems, supported by preparedness and early action, are a proven, effective, and feasible disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation measure, that save lives and provide a tenfold return on investment. Yet, major gaps in early warning systems remain globally, especially when it comes to translating early warnings into risk-informed early action.

Lead UN and international agencies and state partners of  four pillars of the Early Warnings for All Initiative: 

• United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) 
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) 
• Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense under the Government of Tajikistan
• Committee of Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan
• Committee of Television and Radio under the Government
• Communication Service under the Government of Tajikistan
• Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan