China and Central Asian Nations Establish Emergency Management Cooperation Mechanism

Urumqi, The Gulf Observer: China and five Central Asian nations—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—have officially established a China-Central Asia emergency management cooperation mechanism. This significant development was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding during a ministerial meeting held in Urumqi, the capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Thursday.

In addition to the memorandum, the six countries approved an action plan for emergency management cooperation for the years 2024-2026 and announced the formation of a working group dedicated to overseeing China-Central Asia emergency management initiatives.

The newly established mechanism aims to provide a robust platform for enhancing mutually beneficial and practical cooperation among the six nations, according to China’s Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM). The ministry emphasized China’s readiness to strengthen communication and coordination with the Central Asian countries to advance emergency management efforts and contribute to building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

An official from the MEM noted that all six countries involved face relatively high risks of natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, and forest and grassland fires. The cooperation mechanism is expected to address these challenges while supporting economic development and mitigating major risks.

This initiative marks a significant step forward in regional collaboration, reflecting a shared commitment to improving emergency management capabilities and ensuring greater safety and resilience for all participating nations.