Seismic Risk Assessment for Resilience: APDIM’s Workshop with ECO and AFAD in Istanbul

APDIM, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Türkiye (AFAD) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) organized a two-day workshop on “Enhancing Seismic Risk Assessment Capacities in ECO Member States” On 22–23 September 2025 in Istanbul, with participation by expert representatives on seismic risk assessment and management from the region. 

ECO member States - Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan - sit in one of the world’s most seismically active regions. Recent tragedies—including the 2023 earthquakes in southern Türkiye (and northern Syria) and the June 2022 earthquake in Afghanistan’s Paktika and Khost—underscore the need for robust, context-specific seismic risk assessment.

As outlined in the opening remarks by APDIM Director Ms. Letizia Rossano, the workshop focused on:
🔹 Fostering technical knowledge exchange
🔹Highlighting the economic and social dimensions of seismic risk by integrating gender, poverty, and social vulnerability into risk models
🔹Facilitating transboundary and regional cooperation
🔹Supporting countries to apply seismic risk assessment approaches and methodologies locally

The workshop featured regional case studies, practical tools, and peer learning to support more risk-informed decisions across ECO countries. It also contributed to the implementation of the ECO Regional Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (ECORFDRR).

The two‑day event concluded with strong commitments to collaborate on data, research, and earthquake‑resistant construction. Participants agreed to work together towards aligning region‑wide with global seismic observation systems; establishing real‑time data‑sharing protocols; expanding monitoring networks, mapping, and modelling; creating a regional knowledge hub for continuous exchange; consolidating risk assessments at the regional level; and advancing joint scientific research. Participants also endorsed joint activities and capacity‑building— including training on earthquake response plans and educational drills—alongside public‑awareness efforts, the formation of a regional specialist network, the development of earthquake scenarios through improved seismic‑risk tools and methodologies.