In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
Volume 1/ 2024
Edi o ial O ice:
Alexande Feke e, Pe e P iesmeie
Oppo uni ies o in e na ional coope a ion in
he ield o Disas e Risk and Resilience Resea ch
Repo om a Field T ip o Ky gyzs an and Kazakhs an, 2-
11.6.2024
Alexande Feke e, Pe e P iesmeie , Ch is ian Büdel, Ve ena Flö chinge , Timo Heyn, Luisa Knoche, Nils
K ippne , Geo g S auch, Ronja Winkha d -Enz
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
Volume 1/ 2024
This documen is published wi hin he se ies 'In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch'.
All publica ions can be downloaded om h p://opus.bsz-
bw.de/ hk/doku/publizie e_Sch i en eihen.php.
Despi e ho ough e ision he in o ma ion p o ided in his documen is supplied wi hou liabili y.
The documen does no necessa ily p esen he opinion o he edi o s.
EDITION NOTICE
Edi o ial O ice
Alexande Feke e (P o . D .-Ing.)
Pe e P iesmeie
TH Köln - Uni e si y o Applied Sciences
Ins i u e o Rescue Enginee ing and Ci il P o ec ion
Be zdo e S . 2
50679 Cologne
Ge many
www.i g. h-koeln.de
Au ho s
Alexande Feke e, Pe e P iesmeie , Ch is ian Büdel, Ve ena Flö chinge , Timo Heyn, Luisa Knoche, Nils K ippne , Geo g
S auch, Ronja Winkha d -Enz
Wi h con ibu ions om he Cen al-Asian Ins i u e o Applied Geosciences (CAIAG) and he Na ional Academy o
Sciences o he Republic o Kazakhs an
Con ac
Alexande Feke e
Email: alexande . eke e@ h-koeln.de
Phone: + 49 (0) 221 8275 2604
Web: h p:// isknc isis.wo dp ess.com
Recommended Ci a ion
Feke e, Alexande ; P iesmeie , Pe e ; Büdel, Ch is ian; Flö chinge , Ve ena; Heyn, Timo; Knoche, Luisa; K ippne , Nils;
S auch, Geo g; Winkha d -Enz, Ronja (2024): Oppo uni ies o in e na ional coope a ion in he ield o Disas e Risk and
Resilience Resea ch. Repo om a Field T ip o Ky gyzs an and Kazakhs an, 2-11.6.2024. In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y
Resea ch, 1/2024, 60 pages.
Cologne, July 2024
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In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
Volume 1/ 2024
Pa icipan s o he ield- ip om he Ge man side:
M . P o . D .-Ing. Alexande Feke e, Technical Uni e si y Cologne (THK)
M . Pe e P iesmeie , Technical Uni e si y Cologne (THK)
Ms. Ve ena Flö chinge , F eie Uni e si ä Be lin, Disas e Resea ch Uni (DRU)
M . D . Benni Thiebes, Ge man Commi ee o Disas e Risk Reduc ion (DKKV)
Ms. Ronja Winkha d -Enz, Ge man Commi ee o Disas e Risk Reduc ion (DKKV)
Ms. Luisa Knoche, Ge man Fede al Agency o Technical Relie (THW)
M . Timo Heyn, empi ica
M . D . T e o Gi a d, Ka ls uhe Ins i u e o Technology (KIT)
M . P o . D . Geo g S auch, Uni e si y o Wue zbu g (UW)
M . D . Ch is ian Büdel, Uni e si y o Wue zbu g (UW)
Ms. Cla a A hens aed , Uni e si y o Halle-Wi enbe g
M . Ul Sie ke , mud a NGO, Ad iso y boa d membe
M . P o . D . Ch is ian Webe sik, Uni e si y o Agde , No way, Ad iso y boa d membe
M . Nils K ippne , Ge man Fede al Agency o Technical Relie (THW) (online)
M . D . Bijan Khazai, Risklaye (online)
Pa icipan s o he wo kshops and day- ip om he Ky gyz and Kazakh side: see annex
Acknowledgemen s
We would like o exp ess ou espec and deep g a i ude o he pa ne s om Ky gyzs an and Kazakhs an o
hei g ea hospi ali y and in e es in his coope a ion. The e a e so many ins i u ions and indi iduals we me ,
and mos a e co e ed in he pa icipan lis s in he annex, bu no all. We would like o hank he unding
ins i u ion, BMBF, enabling his as well as he suppo ing ins i u ions enabling access and con ac s, including
he Ge man, Ky gyz and Kazakh embassies and espec i e suppo ing minis ies. Many hanks o D . Dau en
Akbe diye o es ablishing he con ac s o he embassy since he in i a ion a e he loods 2024. Special
hanks o he DLR P ojek äge , D Hend ik Meu s, D . Ki s en Kienzle and colleagues o all hei suppo . We
also wan o hank all people helping o o ganize his in he backg ound a he In e na ional O ices, Pe e
Liebel om he CASIB Bu eau, Cla a A hens aed o being such an ou s anding ou guide, Daniel Lo enz
handling he inancial aspec s, Pe a Tille and Ca men Gö ma o p epa a ions, Ul Sie ke and Ch is ian
Webe sik o hei suppo om he Ad iso y Boa d, as well as Bijan Khazai and Nils K ippne o all he wo k
and es ablished con ac s in he backg ound.
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
Table o Con en s
1. Field T ip Goals ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5
2. In en ion and ambi ion ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
3. Bishkek, Ky gyzs an ................................................................................................................................................................. 11
3.1 Ci y o Bishkek ........................................................................................................................................................................ 11
3.2 Knowledge T ans e Wo kshop: INCREASE IDRM T ans e abili y o Ky gyzs an - Cen al Asia ................... 14
3.3 Field isi wi h CAIAG ........................................................................................................................................................... 21
3.4 Ad iso y Boa d Re lec ion .................................................................................................................................................. 24
4. As ana, Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ions o he Republic o Kazakhs an .......................................................... 26
5. Alma y, Kazakhs an ................................................................................................................................................................. 30
5.1 Knowledge T ans e Wo kshop: INCREASE IDRM T ans e abili y o Kazakhs an - Cen al Asia .................. 30
5.2 Medeo dam and ci y excu sion Alma y ......................................................................................................................... 35
5.3 Big Alma y Ri e and Cosmo S a ion .............................................................................................................................. 41
5.4 Ea hquake s a ion ................................................................................................................................................................ 45
5.5 Re lec ion ound .................................................................................................................................................................... 48
5.6. Inpu om he embassy ..................................................................................................................................................... 49
5.7 T ans o ma ional challenges o u ban de elopmen in Alma y and Bishkek ................................................. 50
5.7.1 The iew on Alma y ..................................................................................................................................................... 50
5.7.2 The iew on Bishkek .................................................................................................................................................... 51
6. Summa y and Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................... 54
Annex ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
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1. Field T ip Goals
INCREASE is a esea ch p ojec unded by he Ge man Fede al Minis y o Educa ion and Resea ch (BMBF),
unning om Janua y 2021 un il Janua y 2025. The p ojec pa ne s consis o esea ch ins i u ions and
uni e si ies, a na ional au ho i y and a disas e isk educ ion pla o m. The opical a ea is na u al haza ds,
disas e isk managemen , u ban planning, and social aspec s. The p ojec con ibu es o s eng hening and
in e na ionalizing Ge man esea ch on ci il secu i y and o p omo e in e na ional and ansdisciplina y
pa ne ships as a basis o knowledge exchange and inno a ion.
The idea o INCREASE is o de elop an In eg a ed Disas e Risk Managemen Concep ha uni es all ac o s o
disas e isk managemen (e.g., go e nmen , ci il p o ec ion o ganiza ions, ci y planning, popula ion) on all
le els (e.g., local, na ional, in e na ional). I also s i es o in eg a e all phases o disas e isk managemen ,
om p epa a ion o coping s a egies du ing an e en o eco e y and build back be e . Wi hin his concep ,
he linkage o spa io- empo al scales, and dimensions o coinciden o seconda y haza ds is also add essed.
INCREASE aims o gene a e p ac ical me hods and ools acco ding o he In eg a ed Disas e Risk
Managemen (IDRM) app oach and amewo k and o discuss hei easibili y and ans e abili y wi h
espec i e s akeholde s (e.g., a mul i-haza d isk analysis, a isk and esilience oolbox, and a dashboa d o
decision make s).
The ield ip has se e al objec i es:
● Iden i ying opics o na u al haza ds and isks in Cen al Asia - in his case, Kazakhs an and
Ky gyzs an. Finding pa ne s and op ions o knowledge exchange abou disas e isk and u ban
planning, and u u e collabo a ion.
● P esen ing he p elimina y wo k o he INCREASE p ojec o in e na ional expe s, and ob aining
eedback abou hei usabili y, u he needs, and simila app oaches exis ing in Kazakhs an and
Ky gyzs an. This includes es ing he easibili y and ans e abili y o he INCREASE app oach,
me hods, and ools.
O e all, he main ambi ion is mu ual lea ning ac oss disciplines and coun ies o imp o e knowledge and
ac ion in he ace o na u al haza ds and disas e isks.

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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
2. In en ion and ambi ion
This ield ip se ed mul iple pu poses. The i s and majo goal was o es he ans e abili y o he p ojec .
The INCREASE-p ojec , unded by BMBF, 2021-2025, includes one wo k package (WP9) ha aims a
dissemina ing bu a he same ime es ing he p oduc s o he p ojec on ans e abili y o o he ci ies, egions,
and coun ies. This was he pu pose om he beginning o he p ojec , bu challenges occu ed du ing he
p ojec un- ime wi h con inuing he collabo a ion wi h he coun y o I an due o changing poli ical
ci cums ances. These challenges addi ionally spu ed he need o ind ou i and how he p ojec esul s can
be ans e ed o o he egions and coun ies as well.
Tes ing a ans e abili y means ha di e en concep ual, bu also local and si ua ional con ex s ha e o be
conside ed. Tha means ha local condi ions o na u al haza ds, u ban a chi ec u e, local cul u e, poli ical
leade ship, cha ac e is ics and capaci ies o ins i u ions, and social cohesion a e some o he ac o s which
need o be obse ed when ying o ans e a scien i ic p oduc wi h an applica ion pu pose o ano he si e.
How o iden i y, documen , and deal wi h such con ex dimensions a ies in di e en scien i ic disciplines.
I is a hallma k o he p ojec INCREASE ha i consis s o a uly in e - and ansdisciplina y conso ium. On he
o he hand, his in e disciplina y se -up also poses se e al challenges ha ha e ha dly been add essed
empi ically in scien i ic esea ch so a . The ield ip was he e o e a he same ime a ype o expe imen . I is
no jus a ques ion o science communica ion o in e disciplina i y, o example, by p esen ing he p ojec
p oduc s o an in e disciplina y audience and se o expe s. I is also an open scien i ic ques ion, abou wha
makes an in e disciplina y se -up in a p ojec di e en om a single discipline in achie ing impac and
ans e abili y. The ield ip al eady e ealed many impo an lessons lea ned and insigh s in he long planning
phase. Typical o a scien i ic p ojec i ook se e al join mee ings be ween he p ojec pa ne s on he Ge man
side o iden i y he goals, join ac ions, and ambi ions o ha ield ip. The e we e many challenges,
unce ain ies, and no el ies o ha ield ip. The ield ip a ge coun ies we e no el o he p ojec eam,
almos no one had been o hose coun ies be o e, and hey had no been on he agenda a he s a o he
p ojec . Almos no one in he p ojec eam had skills in he local language o o Russian, which is also spoken
he e.
Bu he mos impo an lea ning aspec is how di e en people wi h di e en disciplina y backg ounds b ing
in needs and ideas o such a ield ip and he implemen a ion and ans e abili y o he p oduc s. This s a s
wi h he gene al concep ion o wha a ield ip ac ually is, how i s pu pose is de ined and wha can be de i ed
om i . Fo some scien is s and disciplines going on a ield ip is common and hey a e amilia wi h such
a els and isi s. Scien i ic me hods, such as ieldwo k, ield obse a ion, excu sions o deduc i e and
scien i ic pu poses, and o he o ms such as wo kshops a e known o hem. S ill, he e is a signi ican di e ence
al eady be ween subdisciplines. Fo example, physical geog aphe s would end o obse e soils, landscapes,
and na u al en i onmen s and a eas. Whe eas human geog aphe s would ocus on u ban o u al se lemen s
o land use and especially on humans and hei in e ac ions o in as uc u e. O he disciplines a ending he
ield ip included sociologis s, who pu hei ocus mo e on mee ing people and inding ou social and cul u al
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pa e ns as well as di e ences o such con ex s. O he disciplines in ol ed du ing he ield ip we e u ban
planne s who we e in e es ed in obse ing li ing condi ions, a chi ec u e and de elopmen op ions. O cou se,
he pe sons a ending he ield ip as scien is s we e no only b inging in hei disciplina y iew bu also hei
pe sonal in e es s and he e o e con ibu ed addi ional iewpoin s o o he disciplines and ields. Na u ally
one o he main ques ions was, how o in eg a e his scien i ically in o he ield ip, and how o include i in o
he p ojec asks o iden i ying needs and op ions o ans e abili y and implemen a ion o he p oduc s.
The p oduc s ha we e mainly b ough o he ield ip and p esen ed o local expe s, included
communica ion ools, scien i ic in o ma ion sys ems, and suppo ools o iden i y gaps in disas e isk
managemen as well as dashboa ds and Geo In o ma ion Sys ems. A dedica ed communica ion ool, a social
media app and a websi e we e p esen ed, besides o he scien i ic communica ion o ms such as knowledge
exchange wo kshops, a disas e wiki, and an in eg a ed disas e isk amewo k.
The ield ip had many o he addi ional objec i es ha all ou side o he desc ip ion o adi ional scien i ic
mobili y. Fo example, many scien is s who a e no geog aphe s o an h opologis s, use a el and mobili y
mainly o mee pe sons a con e ences, wo kshops, o o he o icial mee ings. While his was a majo pa o
he ield ip, i was also impo an ha all pa icipan s go an insigh in o a di e en cul u e and egion. To
a oid ypical scien i ic mis akes o o ge ing local, social, poli ical and cul u al con ex , i was impo an , no
only o alk o people du ing he wo kshops and he b eaks in be ween, bu also o ac ually obse e u ban,
u al and na u al en i onmen s. This enables he pa icipan s o iden i y di e ences in na u al haza d con ex ,
bu also se lemen and li elihoods om i s -hand pe spec i e. Fo example, a i e lood a ec s a la a ea
wi h single de ached houses qui e di e en ly han mul is o y apa men s o u al se lemen s loca ed in a
a ine. A second example a e weal hy and poo a eas, which ha e di e en ypologies o social, human,
economic, and o he capi al.
I was a aluable expe ience o ind ou how each pa icipan o he ield ip could con ibu e o cap u ing all
hose di e ences o con ex s. Some pa icipan s we e amilia wi h exp essing and documen ing obse a ions.
O he pa icipan s lacked no only amilia i y o me hods o doing his bu also didn’ ha e exac ideas in he
planning phase abou wha o do du ing ha ield ip. The e o e, a scien i ic plan was de eloped in which all
pa icipan s con ibu ed scien i ic ideas o wha hey aimed o analyze du ing he ield ip. This al eady helped
hem o sugges opics o discussion and wo kshops o be conduc ed du ing he ield ip bu also o p epa e
ollow-up documen a ion and po en ial join publica ions o o he u u e ac ions such as di ing in o new
esea ch ields.
The ield ip had addi ional objec i es such as exposing all he p ojec pa icipan s o a o eign en i onmen
whe e hey could di ec ly see and iden i y di e ences ha hey could no concep ualize back home om hei
desks. The pa icipan s we e also exposed o all he imp essions and communica ion wi h ex e nal expe s and
local ci izens. They we e exposed o di e en obse a ions and ac i i ies o he o he pa icipan s du ing he
ield ip, be o e and a e . This helped o gene a e e lec ions as an impo an pa o es ing hypo heses and
assump ions and he p oduc s o he p ojec ha hey de eloped.
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
In addi ion, a majo e ec om such join a els is ha i c ea es social cohesion among he g oup. This was
no only e y impo an o gene a e be e ideas, how o in eg a e all he di e en p oduc s o he p ojec and
he eby ake ca e o u u e sus ainabili y and dissemina ion o he p ojec o e he end o he p ojec o la e
ou pu , ou come, and impac . I was also e y impo an o ha speci ic p ojec as i had a e y complex
in e disciplina y ambi ion igh om i s beginning. Mul i-haza d and mul i- isk esea ch s ill is a he young
and unde de eloped in he a ea o na u al haza ds and isks. While i is a majo end in science, i lacks
empi ical esea ch as well as es ing and alida ion. Fu he mo e, his ield lacks esea ch in many disciplina y
and in e disciplina y collabo a ions, as we could p o e by conduc ing a li e a u e e iew on he coun y I an,
which could no be published due o poli ical easons. Ins ead, we published he indings in a li e a u e e iew
on 20 coun ies in wes e n Asia, including I an, and 20 o he coun ies in ano he li e a u e e iew on Eas
A ica o compa ison.
The ield ip was also e y impo an o gene a e social cohesion and a join unde s anding o
in e disciplina i y be ween he pa icipan s. Any s ands o esea ch and p ocesses we e ge ing s uck, and
could no be ca ied ou as planned because o he di icul si ua ion wi h he coun y o I an ha de eloped
du ing he p ojec un ime. This no only c ea ed a lo o addi ional s ess bu also us a ion amongs he
highly mo i a ed pa icipan s on he Ge man as well as on he I anian side. These ensions al eady had exis ed
om he p ojec beginning due o he unclea si ua ion o co- inancing o he I anian pa ne s. Con a y o he
communica ed idea, he I anian pa ne s we e no able o ecei e unding om hei bodies as had been
en isioned. This c ea ed di e en expec a ions om bo h sides and hampe ed he p ocess om he beginning
on. In addi ion, he e we e compe i ions on he I anian side o pa ne s, who would be he o icial
spokespe son o he p ojec . This was compensa ed by he esea ch design on he Ge man side ha was
in o med by p e ious p ojec s. The p ojec design, he e o e om he beginning, had a con ingency plan ha
o esaw ha all wo k could also be ca ied ou wi hou he I anian pa ne s i coope a ion would p o e o
become di icul . Fo example, all scien i ic analyses using geo in o ma ion we e planned and designed o wo k
wi h open access da a as an al e na i e sou ce as well. O cou se, he e o e he ou comes no only o he
in o ma ion sys ems, bu also o he planned p oduc s like a social media app, which was planned o be join ly
de eloped wi h an I anian disas e managemen au ho i y, and o be implemen ed di ec ly in Teh an, became
impossible, and had o be ca ied ou wi h an al e na i e plan. Fo simila in e na ional p ojec s, such
con ingency planning can only be ecommended. The poli ical e en s in I an in 2022 and in he ollowing yea s
wi h public p o es s and ollowing eac ions om he poli ical side in I an mean ha e hical and secu i y
conce ns p edomina ed he wo k in he p ojec o a g ea ex en o a leas a yea . Du ing ha ime, an
addi ional con ingency plan had o be de eloped. As pa o ha , i was decided o s op o icial coope a ion
wi h he pa ne s in I an, and hal ha un il di e en poli ical amewo k condi ions would be gene a ed. Since
i was no clea whe he his would happen du ing he emaining un ime o he p ojec , ano he al e na i e
plan was de eloped. I was o b oaden he p ojec pe spec i e o o he coun ies and was p epa ed as a
possible con ingency op ion om he beginning o he p ojec . This wo ked e y well also o he o iginal
in en ions o many o he p ojec pa ne s who aimed a in e na ional collabo a ion o gene a e new insigh s
in o hei own knowledge base on disas e isk managemen by lea ning om o he coun ies. Bu also, o ge
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In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
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in ouch wi h o he coun ies o p epa e o u u e collabo a ion o ei he eme gency managemen
ope a ions, scien i ic esea ch, o mu ual aid and elie wo k du ing and a e a po en ial disas e . Con lic and
communica ion p oblems could be a oided i he e was isk-in o med planning. The e o e, he p ojec asks,
such as a planning and in o ma ion sys em we e al eady de eloped also in con ex and in collabo a ion wi h
o he coun ies by some o he p ojec pa ne s in Ge many, Jo dan, India, and du ing he ield ip wi h
Ky gyzs an and Kazakhs an. Bu communica ion can also be imp o ed no only by in o ma ion sys ems and
planning ins umen s such as u ban planning, which in eg a es in e disciplina y pe spec i es. Be e knowing
he pa ne s in di e en coun ies and unde s anding hei planning sys ems, eme gency coo dina ion
s uc u es and go e nance, bu also social and cul u al di e ences can immensely help o a oid con lic s
be o e, du ing and a e a disas e . Since disas e s a e highly sensi i e opics i is especially impo an o
gene a e knowledge exchange and ans e o ideas as well as p oduc s and e lec ions in he so-called
peace ime be o e a disas e happens.
Ano he majo objec i e o he ield ip was o p epa e be e planning and unde s anding o con lic
managemen ela ed o disas e isk in gene al. O cou se, a opic such as disas e managemen is a e y good
le e age o any coun y o coope a e wi h o he coun ies in he disas e esponse. This can help o o e come
poli ical o o he di e ences ha would pe sis , du ing an e e yday exchange abou economic o o he
ac i i ies. The e o e, he a e opic o eme gency and disas e managemen is an impo an scien i ic, bu also
unique diploma ic op ion o be e in e na ional coope a ion.
The p ojec pa icipan s needed o ha e such an exposu e o a di e en coun y and con ex o be able o
obse e such p ocesses a he han o jus hypo hesize abou i . The social cohesion amongs he pa icipan s
was also e y impo an o gene a e no only in e nal and ex e nal knowledge exchange, bu also o
s eng hen he eam spi i since all he complexi y and con ingencies du ing he p ojec un ime c ea ed s ess
and unce ain y. The ield ip in his sense included he ollowing objec i es and successes.
The ield ip p o ided he conc e e implemen a ion o he p ojec by es ing he ans e abili y in a eal and
di e en con ex . I allowed o in e na ional coope a ion and exchange, and mu ual unde s anding be ween
he pa icipan s in he p ojec , bu also wi h ex e nal pa ne s. I c ea ed social cohesion ha was impo an
due o he complexi y and s ess du ing he p ojec and he special ambi ion o he in e disciplina y and mul i
haza d opic. The ield ip was a lea ning expe imen simila o an excu sion in geog aphy. A he same ime,
i was a scien i ic delega ion o showcase in e - and ansdisciplina y pe spec i es and expe iences in dealing
wi h majo disas e s like he lessons lea ned om he loods in Ge many in 2021.
The ield ip is also hema ically in line wi h a join decla a ion o he heads o s a es o Cen al Asian coun ies
and he Ge man Chancello o s eng hen he join coope a ion in he hema ic a eas o clima e change
adap a ion, en i onmen al isk, esilience and di ec dialogue be ween ci izens (Z5+1 decla a ion:
Gemeinsame E klä ung de S aa sche s Zen alasiens und des Bundeskanzle s de Bundes epublik
Deu schland, Link).
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
D . Uzakbae o CAIAG opened he mee ing and welcomed he 40 pa icipan s.
The i s p esen a ion was gi en by Ulan Abdybachae o CAIAG. He alked abou na u al haza ds in Ky gyzs an,
seismic mic ozona ion and damage es ima ions o Bishkek. Ky gyzs an has na ionwide seismic haza d maps
as well as seismic mic ozoning o some a eas. A seismic impac scena io is also a ailable o Bishkek, including
po en ial impac s on c i ical in as uc u e and a ali y a es. He explained ha , in gene al, scien i ic esea ch
in Ky gyzs an ocuses on seismic haza ds, which a e in es iga ed using senso s and echnology, as in se e al
Ge man-Ky gyz p ojec s join ly unded by he BMBF, such as CaTeNa.
Ano he esea ch in e es o CAIAG a e he haza ds landslides and mud lows which a e cap u ed in an
in en o y consis ing o a map and a ca alog and da ing back o 1991. M . Abdybachae also poin ed ou ha
a ool o assessing damage in moun ainous egions is being de eloped and echnologically complex
campaigns such as esonance equency measu emen s o slope s abili y and la ge-scale e ac ion seismic
measu emen s o sedimen s had been launched. The occu ence and ac i a ion o landslides a e p ima ily
ela ed o he enginee ing-geological condi ions o landslide-p one slopes in combina ion wi h a mosphe ic
p ecipi a ion du ing he pe iod om No embe o Feb ua y. Exceeding he a e age annual p ecipi a ion
no ms is de ined as a pe iod o high-wa e le els, and i is du ing his pe iod ha landslides a e mos equen ly
eco ded.
The p esen a ion spa ked g ea in e es no only om he Ge man side bu also om Ky gyz pa icipan s. P o .
S auch asked i he e has been an inc ease in landslides in ecen decades. M . Abdybachae explained ha
CAIAG has no ed an inc ease in equency bu no in in ensi y and magni ude due o missing esea ch on hese
wo ac o s. Fu he seismic isk assessmen ac i i ies in Bishkek we e al eady being discussed, also in
connec ion o he Tu kish/Sy ian Ea hquake Mw 7.8 a 6 Feb ua y 2023. Fu u e po en ial a eas o esea ch a e
a ge ing a eas o conce n in Bishkek and include upda es and imp o emen s o no ma i e documen s on
human losses. Addi ionally, he e is a need o expe ise, in e disciplina i y and s anda dized app oaches
especially in he a ea o impac and loss assessmen . Pas app oaches and s anda ds om So ie imes need
o be upda ed.
A Ky gyz pa icipan , M . E kinbek Koichumano o he NGO Camp Ala oo, asked how he indings a e sha ed
and who he bene icia ies a e. M . Abdybachae answe s ha i is sha ed wi h he minis y and o icial
ins i u ions. The e is also an annual compendium published.
A pe son om a uni e si y in Ky gyzs an asked abou collabo a ions wi h ins i u ions such as uni e si ies.
CAIAG eplied ha collabo a ions can be implemen ed i hey ecei e o icial eques s. A CAIAG, a colleague
om seismology who was in cha ge o such collabo a ions has jus le o such ins i u ions, and he posi ion
is now acan .

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Figu e 9: Speake s he CAIAG Wo kshop (Pho o: Sie ke )
The nex speake , D . Ryskul Usubalie p esen ed he glacie dis ibu ion in Ky gyzs an, wi h high densi ies o
i e s, and dis ibu ion o lakes in his high alpine coun y. Glacie a ea educ ion is measu ed using mul i-
empo al emo e sensing da a (Landsa , Sen inel, Plane , Wo ld iew 2), wi h one glacie losing 25m/yea , and
glacie s gene ally mel ing as e han in he pas , esul ing in an inc easingly nega i e mass balance. In he
alleys hey ypically lose 10m/yea , while mel ing in he alleys should be as e . In So ie imes hey had a
ca alog o glacie s, now upda ed digi ally. A 16% o loss in glacie s in gene al is documen ed.
Glacial lake ou bu s lood (GLOF) is ano he haza d ype. As glacie s a e disappea ing, wa e a ailabili y is
inc eased in he summe mon h and e e y yea mo e glacial lakes eme ge. The e o e, he e is an inc easing
isk o GLOF ou bu s s and deb is lows. GLOF densi y is high on he sou he n oo hill a eas, including Bishkek,
bu also a lake Issykul. A lake Akpay hey moni o ed and could p edic a GLOF in 2021, a oiding human ha m.
P o . Geo g S auch asks i hey ha e au oma ic sa elli e image mapping o isual image in e p e a ion. They
map manually.
A Ky gyz colleague asks abou glacie s, whe he i iga ion is dependen on glacie mel and abou he c ea ion
o a i icial glacie s o i iga ion. The e a e 20 a eas in Ky gyzs an used o such so-called a i icial glacie s. I is
a egula issue, no eally a glacie . They wo k p e y well in his ansi ion pe iod. P oblems we e discussed o
he summe pe iod whe e wa e is needed. Wa e s ess is a opic o a me s and pas u es.
Ques ions abou glacie s as wa e owe s and compa ison o Eu opean alps we e asked. Which popula ion
g oups a e exposed o isk? How is public awa eness? Fa me s and ag icul u e a e mainly a ec ed due o
i iga ion needs. Bu also, u ban a eas a e a ec ed by pe iodical d inking wa e sho ages (e.g. in Bishkek).
Pa icula ly be ween he end o May and beginning o June is a pe iod o wa e sho age. Also connec ed o
ising empe a u es and clima e change. In some yea s hey ha e less p ecipi a ion in he alleys, and i he
glacie s ha e no ye s a ed o mel his can lead o a wa e sho age un il mid-June. Measu es a e wa e
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
ese oi s o accumula e wa e ( eplies om and Almabaek Aidakee om he Minis y o Eme gency
Si ua ions).
Fo he Augus 2021 GLOF, how was in o ma ion p o ided and ansla ed o he success ul e acua ion? How
ecep i e a e people o such wa nings o GLOFs? They in o med he people on-si e. The wa ning was made 10
days be o e he e en . No casual ies we e epo ed since he accumula ion o wa e could be obse ed o
qui e some ime in ad ance.
The wo k o he minis y was he e acua ion o all houses and nomadic yu s. Some houses we e des oyed
ha could no be emo ed, bu hey we e abandoned a ha ime. Also, special signs and no ices we e pu up
o wa n he popula ion. Aug 31s 2021 he GLOF happened. The Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ions is
esponsible o he esponse pa .
Which measu es a e aken besides moni o ing (D . Thiebes)? An assessmen and a map a e p o ided, which
can be used o an e acua ion. The e is also an au oma ed ea ly wa ning sys em (EWS) in one alley since i is
highly popula ed.
How do people eac o he wa nings? In Ge many, he wa nings a e some imes igno ed. Tha also happens in
Ky gyzs an. In he alley, people a e used o mud lows and ake he wa ning se iously, bu i is less so in a eas
whe e hey ha e no seen o expe ienced mud lows. Fo he Ala-A cha a ea, i is possible o communica e 15-
20 minu es be o e an e en since an au oma ic wa ning sys em exis s.
P o . Usupae s a es ha in many coun ies he e is no uni o m sys em, in Ky gyzs an hey c ea ed a uni ied
sys em o collec na u al haza d in o ma ion. They published a compila ion o o ecas s. This is dis ibu ed o
all minis ies and all dis ic s.
Limi a ions o he moni o ing lie in echnical de ails such as wa e , empe a u e, bu hey ha e mo e p oblems
wi h geology, GLOF s uc u es such as unde g ound channels a e mo e di icul o p edic . Unde g ound
su ace is ano he ac o .
The Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ion o Ky gyz Republic is a esea ch and o ecas ing ins i u e, ha ing he
manda e, esou ces and s a .
The hi d p esen a ion was gi en by D . Se gei E okhin om he Ins i u e o Wa e P oblems and Hyd opowe
- Lab o hyd ology based haza ds, who wo ked a long ime in he Geological Se ice on landslides, loods, and
GLOFs. He alked abou mo aine and glacial lake ou bu s lows. He p esen ed a 1966 ou bu s ha igge ed
awa eness and ac i i ies o deal wi h such GLOFs. He and his eam de eloped a lake and GLOF classi ica ion
ha ca ego izes he glacial lakes by hei mo phogenesis. Main ypes a e he moca s ic lakes and slope lakes
de eloped in la e al mo aines. The mos haza dous mo aine lakes a e hose s ill bo de ing glacie s bu
di e en ypes o lakes ha e di e en haza d cha ac e is ics.
2012 people in Bishkek we e panicking when a GLOF was announced. Also 2024 a GLOF is expec ed. The Ala-
A cha glacie is a as -mel ing glacie and has se e al lakes ha all in he GLOF haza d ca ego y.
The e exis s a map o GLOF mud low isk zona ion o Bishkek and o he alleys. Based on his p o ec ion
measu es o e acua ions can be based. The e a e s a ions o measu emen s ha a e accessed by hiking, wi h
equipmen ca ied on ho sebacks. The e is a GLOF once o wice a yea . Mo aines mainly s em om he ice
ages, bu ecen p ocesses s ill occu , he las signi ican phase in he 19-20 h cen u y. The e is an o e lap o a
10.000-yea p ocess and a mo e apid cyclic p ocess.
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Losing glacie s and g ound ice will lead o mo e equen haza ds as i s abilizes he mo aine sedimen s.
The e o e, haza d suscep ibili y o lakes is easily unde es ima ed, when unde g ound mel ing and unneling
p ocesses wi hin a mo aine weaken i s s abili y wi hou any su icial signs. I is asked, by one Ky gyz scien is ,
i he eco ded wa ming could no be ied o he na u al wa ming and cooling cycles o he plane . So, i
appea s ha clima e change long e m e ec s a e di e en ly seen be ween Ge man and Ky gyz scien is s and
ha his is an in e es ing opic o join ly discuss.
Tou is s om Bishkek and local people - how can hey be in o med and wa ned? B idges and o he
in as uc u e could be des oyed. E e y council in he p o inces and illage council has he in o ma ion, which
is a book, so hey can ake cha ge o such measu es. The Minis y also hos ed mee ings wi h local illage s who
asked many ques ions. A common sense is ha i is impo an ha he popula ion knows how o beha e
du ing an e en , and ha mo e in o ma ion abou DRM and ainings/d ills a e necessa y.
The nex p esen a ion was by D . Alexande Zubo ich abou he sys em o da a and moni o ing by CAIAG.
The e a e mul iple moni o ing s a ions, a senso da a s o age sys em (sdss.caiag.kg/sdss) ha is open and in
public domain. Wi h GFZ hey hos a da abase o 250 wa e su ace le el measu emen s by sa elli e al ime y
o e Cen al Asia bu including A ica as well. They also un an ea hquake EWS. Close o he Pami is he mos
ac i e seismic zone, bu also a he lake Issykul. They also c ea e in o ma ion sys ems such as wildli e in
Ky gyzs an, o o es managemen . The o es in o sys em is o in e nal usage o ce ain ins i u ions. Use s o
such pla o ms a e wo ldwide, as a as IPs a e cap u ed.
A e a g oup pho o and lunch, he wo kshop con inued wi h p esen a ions om he INCREASE eam.
Fi s he INCREASE p ojec was p esen ed by P o . D . Alexande Feke e (THK) by gi ing an insigh in o mul i-
isk analysis and isk go e nance capabili ies de eloped du ing he p ojec , p esen ing he p ojec pa ne s
and hei ac i i ies as well as he goals o he ield ip.
This was ollowed by a p esen a ion o Ve ena Flö chinge (DRU) on IDRM which is a he hea o he INCREASE
p ojec . This included he s udy and he his o y o IDRM, i ’s dimensions and hei indica o s. The p esen a ion
wen along wi h an in i a ion o an IDRM su ey o Ky gyzs an o iden i y gaps and po en ial imp o emen s
o DRM. Wi h he eedback om wo kshop pa icipan s he language o he su ey will be imp o ed, acili a ed,
and hen sha ed in he Ky gyz communi y.
Ano he impo an opic o he wo kshop was a demons a ion o needs and easibili y looking in o he
INCREASE dashboa d, oolbox, and social media app de elopmen by TH Köln/Risklaye p esen ed by
Alexande Feke e (THK). Main ou comes o he pa on needs and easibili y a e a g ea in e es in exchanging
he Sendai amewo k om he Sec e a ia o he Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ion o he Ky gyz Republic a
CAIAG. Topics o in e es a e loss and damage assessmen me hods, and usage o EU da abases such as
Cope nicus. A conc e e sugges ion o u u e coope a ion is o join a Na ional Adap a ion Plan de elopmen
o he Ci y o Bishkek. The Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ion o he Ky gyz Republic is u he mo e epo ing
ha social ulne abili y assessmen is impo an bu oo complex o do in Bishkek. They conduc ed his a
adminis a i e le els o 12 municipali ies. Fo be e analyses, his o ic da a would be needed. A 112 eme gency
mobile app was also de eloped, whe e people can ill i wi h hei own in o ma ion, which can be used o
esea ch. Such apps ha e a high po en ial o eme gency ins i u ions. All INCREASE p oduc s p esen ed a e
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
highly impo an o Almabek Aidakee , om he Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ions o he Ky gyz Republic, who
exp esses ha he imp o emen o coo dina ion is also a need o Ky gyz eme gency ins i u ions. DRR as a
wes e n concep has been adop ed now o 20 yea s. They we e imp essed by he lood p epa edness in
Cologne, hey had isi ed (P o . Usupae ) and ag eed ha such an in e disciplina y app oach is needed. He
men ioned ha sea le el ise is a g ea p oblem as well, bu was no alked abou oday, he e o e we would
also need o obse e global isk managemen .
The las p esen a ion was done by Luisa Knoche and Nils K ippne (THW) on De eloping S anda d Ope a ing
P ocedu es o Disas e Response En i ies (SOP). Fo eme gency elie i would be in e es ing o he Ge man
pa ne s o see wha he s uc u e o ac o s in simila o ganiza ions and olun ee o ganiza ions is in
Ky gyzs an, as M . Aidakee men ions. They ha e expe ience wi h SOP due o he 2023 Tü kiye ea hquake,
whe e hey we e called by AFAD in Tü kiye o help. They also ha e SOPs o disas e esponse in Ky gyzs an.
Red C oss/C escen is loca ed in Bishkek, bu he s uc u e o olun ee s is di e en o Ge many. Ky gyzs an is
p oud o g ass oo o ganiza ions, bu hey a e e y in e es ed o lea n how i is done in Ge many.
In he ollowing discussion di e en opics o in e es men ioned by he Ky gyz pa icipan s:
● Sendai F amewo k
● IDRM Dimensions
● Piedmon ci y
● Smog
● EWS, di e en EWS bu in eg a ion and combining i wi h ale ing
● Join esea ch on mud lows, GLOF, landslides e c.
● Hea wa es
● 8/9 Oc 2024 is anni e sa y o CAIAG, and a con e ence
● CO2 emission educ ion also in Ci il P o ec ion and by o es i es
Rega ding u u e coope a ion ideas, he e is a g ea in e es o wo k wi h DKKV on Na ional Pla o ms as hey
al eady had in he pas , bu also oge he wi h THW especially on he de elopmen o SOP. They a e
implemen e s o he NAP (Almabek Aidakee , Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ions o Ky gyzs an).
Challenges ha can be add essed in he u u e encompass:
● Bishkek’s ci y a ea has expanded by 40% by in eg a ing su ounding ou ski s and communi ies
leading o new isks
● Communi y in ol emen : Only one NGO is p esen oday, and un o una ely i is p oblema ic o in i e
NGOs due o he new law on o eign agen s.
● lessons om p ojec s a e o go en and no con inued o o en land as a epo on a shel . Tha is why
hey c ea ed he p e iously men ioned da abase. Any pu sued p ojec should aim o a angible
ou come like a ool o pla o m, so ha ins i u ions and people can use i .
● Digi aliza ion also is a p oblem since people lose knowledge o how o eac (Abdybachae ).
● Risks ou side o Bishkek could be highe since he e is less p epa edness.
Ideas o u u e ac i i ies hemes ha came up in addi ion by he Ge man pa ne s:
● Au oma ic mapping o glacie s
● Join a Na ional Adap a ion Plan (NAP) de elopmen o he ci y o Bishkek
● Sendai Repo ing, s uc u ing by he DRU su ey
● Social Vulne abili y Mapping
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● Exchange on usabili y o in o ma ion sys ems o s akeholde s such as eme gency managemen o
he public
The mee ing concluded wi h e y posi i e s a emen s om all depa men heads o CAIAG, he Minis y
ep esen a i e and he Ge man delega ion. Fo dinne , M Cons an in Zelen y om he Ge man embassy
joined and epo ed on poli ics and economy in Ky gyzs an. He also showed g ea in e es in he ac i i ies o
oday.
3.3 Field isi wi h CAIAG
On Wed 5.6.2024, he g oup o 13 Ge man pa icipan s was led by CAIAG, Ulan Abdybachae o a eas o
in e es a ound Bishkek. The head o he Depa men o he P e en ion and Elimina ion o Consequences o
Eme gency Si ua ions unde he Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ions o he Ky gyz Republic, Zhanysh Kalbano
joined, as well as Nazgul Alybae a, Nazgul Usupbeko a and ano he pe son om CAIAG.
Using a minibus, he pa icipan s could lis en o he explana ions om Ulan Abdybachae while a eling
sou h in o he Ala-Acha alley. The oad led h ough he sou he n pa s o he ci y o Bishkek, c ossing an
ele a ion om a ound 900 m in he ci y cen e up o 2200 m.
Figu e 10: Fig. T ip o Ala-A cha alley (Pho o: Feke e)
A he sou he n im o he ci y, la ge esiden ial buildings and go e nmen buildings we e passed by. A i s
s op was o e seeing pa o he alley whe e mud lows could po en ially en e in o esiden ial o
adminis a i e a eas. A second s op was a a supe ma ke . The hi d s op was a a wa e dam, illed up wi h
sedimen s. The ou h s op was a he na ional pa k.

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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
Figu e 11: Houses along he oad and p o ec ion dam (Pho o: Feke e)
Zhanysh Kalbano and Ulan Abdybachae explained measu es aken o lood and mud low p o ec ion du ing
he s ops. Some measu es a e p o ec ion a ious such as gabions. A he same ime, many ac i e and his o ic
landslides, as well as indica o s o su ace and g oundwa e dependen gullying and mud low occu ence
could be seen along he alley. T aces o glacie s and mo aine ma e ial could also be seen ha could be easily
mobilized by mud lows.
Figu e 12: Gabion p o ec ion (Pho o: Feke e), Slope des abilized by la e al e osion in loose sedimen s o a glacial la e al mo aine abo e
he Aksu allu ial an (Pho o: Büdel)
Along he way, and especially when walking up join ly and obse ing he sides he e was plen y o oom o
exchange abou he disas e managemen s uc u e, in e na ional elie , coo dina ion, local, egional, and
na ional coope a ion, and in eg a ion o expe ise, and echnical equipmen , bu also ques ions abou
in eg a ion o olun ee s. Na u al haza d assessmen and modeling aspec s we e discussed mainly o
mud lows, glacial lake ou bu s lows, and landslides. On he way back in o he ci y se e al s ops we e made
o obse e u al and u ban se lemen pa e ns and building ypes.
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Figu e 13: Ru al and u ban se lemen (Pho o: Feke e)
O e all, his was a highly impo an ield ip ha no only allowed o see na u al haza d ea u es, bu also
p o ec ion measu es, and allowed o expe exchange on isk assessmen , isk managemen , communica ion
and in eg a ion needs amongs any o he opics. I also se ed o discuss he i s ideas ha CAIAG p esen ed
o he Ge man pa icipan s abou conc e e u u e esea ch co po a ion in e es s. The join ip helped also o
be e c ea e mu ual unde s anding and o gain us .
Figu e 14: Lunch b eak (Pho o: Feke e)
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
Figu e 15: Day- ip g oup (Pho o: Sie ke )
3.4 Ad iso y Boa d Re lec ion
The Ge man g oup hen le Bishkek o Alma y and in he e ening, he wo ad iso y boa d membe s, Ul Sie ke
and Ch is ian Webe sik, p o ided a i s eedback and e lec ion on he i s pa o he ield ip in Bishkek.
Ch is ian Webe sik summa ized he main opics and hemes discussed du ing he wo kshop and also
highligh ed main ideas al eady s essed ou by he CAIAG s akeholde s o u u e coope a ion.
CAIAG wo kshop inpu o INCREASE (Webe sik):
Haza ds and isks de ined:
● Ky gyzs an has la ge Alpine en i onmen s. P esen a ions ela ed o geo-haza ds, ocused la gely on
glazie lake ou bu s s. Mel ing o glacie s h ea ens eshwa e ese oi s (as well in he Eu opean
con ex ). A ec ed popula ion is la gely u al. Howe e , also u ban a eas such as Bishkek can be
a ec ed by mud lows. Obse a ions and wa ning o gene al public a e main ools o sa e y
managemen .
● Ea hquakes also pose a haza d in Ky gyzs an, ea ly wa ning measu es a e in place
CAIAG’s e lec ions on INCREASE
● In summa y, ma e ial p esen ed in he wo kshop is ele an o Ky gyzs an’s na ional adap a ion plan
● The ci y Bishkek has g own a lo , wi h challenges in e ms o smog, housing, and heal h in as uc u e
● The e is in e es in ea ly wa ning and ea ly ale ing sys ems
● Landslides, mudslides and looding a e h ea s o he popula ion in ci ies and u al a eas
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In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
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● Apa om he capi al, also u ban a eas in he pe iphe y need o be aken in o accoun
● Ag icul u al losses and biodi e si y loss could be an in e es ing opic
● D ough is also becoming an issue
● Loss and damage a e ano he opic o in e es in u ban a eas and ci ies
● Towa ds he end o any p ojec , he e should be a ool, o scena io aining, o las ing pla o ms
● Digi aliza ion is also an impo an a ea o in e en ion, as mo e and mo e da a is digi alized, bu how
is he disas e managemen sys em esponding o his change
Re lec ions on he ield ip and way o wa d
● Conc e e unding oppo uni ies a e app ecia ed and need ollow-up
● The compa a i e aspec s o Cen al Asia ha e g ea po en ial
● CAIAG showed genuine in e es in collabo a ion bu he ma ching esea ch and complemen a y
in e es s could be challenging
● The in eg a ing aspec o INCREASE is in i s in ancy in Ky gyzs an and i s ins i u ions
● Top down, go e nmen d i en in e en ions and disas e managemen is dominan
● P epa edness, haza d maps, social index ulne abili y mapping, o p ac ical ools, such as dashboa ds
could be o g ea in e es o Ky gyzs an
● Po en ial o e lap in discussing s anda d ope a ions p ocedu es
● In sum, he con ex ual and pe sonal aspec s o he ield ip is an added alue o INCREASE
Ul Sie ke added obse a ions abou cul u al communica ion s yles, bu also unde lying managemen
s uc u es and con lic s and p oblems. He ecei ed he in o ma ion by indi idual con e sa ions wi h pe sons
om CAIAG especially du ing he ield excu sion day. Majo indings a e ha in Ky gyzs an an open
communica ion seems possible, whe e e en gues s om Ky gyzs an we e allowed o ques ion CAIAG and he
minis y and i was pa ly a a he con on a i e exchange, bu in a e y p o essional manne . Du ing he
communica ion wi h in e na ional gues s, i seems ha i is possible o ask e y di ec ques ions. The e also
appea s o be a genuine in e es in coope a ion al eady in he p epa a ion phase o ou isi . This was
unde lined by he engagemen in he ollowing day and he ou pe sons om CAIAG joining he g oup and
exp essing in e es o u u e coope a ion.
Conc e e opics o u u e esea ch we e exp essed as
● Ea hquake isk assessmen o c i ical wa e in as uc u e in he ci y o Bishkek
● Landslide haza d moni o ing in sou he n Ky gyzs an
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Figu e 19: Speake s a he Na ional Academy o Sciences Wo kshop (Pho os: Feke e, Sie ke )
Fa abi Ye meko , Kazakh Na ional Ag a ian Resea ch Uni e si y, in oduced di e en ypes o emo e sensing
da a used in Kazakhs an. They analyze ege a ion g ow h and co e as examples. Also d one echnologies a e
used o measu e ai quali y o o con ol powe lines. I is also applied o sea ch and escue wi h he mal
came as o de ec people and moni o wild i es. Fa abi discussed he ag icul u al impac s o disas e s, which
include changes in ag icul u al yield, seasonali y and he eme gence o pes s and diseases.
Aiman Nysanbaye a, head o he depa men and Senio Lec u e a Al-Fa abi Kazakh Na ional Uni e si y,
spoke abou clima e change, and how i is ela ed o human heal h. The concep ion o he opic mus be global,
which has been shown by empe a u e and o he inc eases wo ldwide. A speci ic opic is social ulne abili y
in u ban a eas, especially ‘ he mal islands’ (hea island e ec ) in ci ies ha inc ease hea - ela ed s ess and
espec i e adap a ion measu es a e needed. Hea islands also impac he economy inancially due o inc eased
heal h cos s. Clima e change in e ac ing wi h glacie s leads o de ici s o wa e o Alma y. The e a e also wa e
con lic s wi h downs eam coun ies which makes he case o wa e diplomacy and in eg a ed wa e esou ces
managemen an impo an opic. As a uni e si y, i does p o ide in o ma ion, in o ms laws and policies and a
global iew ha is needed.
Bi zhan Se ikbay, enginee o he Eme gency Si ua ions Depa men o he Alma y Ci y, showed ha Alma y
has all kinds o haza ds. 28 wa ning s a ions and 31 deb is low moni o ing s a ions a e ins alled. Haza ds
analyzed a e, o example, glacial lake ou bu s s, deb is lows, ea hquakes, and a alanches. They p o ide
aining, awa eness- aising p og ams and mo e. Two ypes o ac ion plans exis o Alma y, one o na u al
haza ds and one o man-made haza ds. The Ci y Plan conside s he p o ision o c i ical se ices (17
iden i ied), add essing indi iduals wi h mobili y issues (80,000 es ima e), p o ision o shel e (384 shel e
loca ions) and a ious ways o enhance eme gency communica ion. Fo people wi h hea ing disabili ies, sign
language is used also in public communica ion. They p o ide p og ams o TV channels, o example, 30-
second sho in e iews wi h sub i les in wo languages. They ha e many esou ces, bo h human and
echnological.

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Janna Bolegenob a, p ojec manage a he P ojec Managemen O ice o he Kazakh-B i ish Technical
Uni e si y, alked abou he sus ainable de elopmen goals, and how isk managemen is an in eg a ed
app oach ha co e s a la ge a ea o ields in economy as well as science such as indus y and business whe e
hey also ha e a ne wo k o pa ne s. The main opical a ea is en i onmen , social and go e nance (ESG), and
hey de elop p oduc s using a i icial in elligence, such as social media apps in o ming also on na u al disas e
opics such as i es o sa e y. The uni e si y i sel has sus ainable ene gy including sola , wind and geo he mal,
and p omo es gende balance h ough i s p og am.
The p esen a ion by D . Asan Aida khano , B anch Di ec o o he Na ional Nuclea Cen e , was online alking
abou how clima e change in e ac s wi h adia ion isk. One example is pollu ed es si es o nuclea es s.
Ano he in e es ing example a e so-called ice quakes, o c yoseism, which is a seismic e en caused by sudden
glacial mo emen s o ice con ac ion due o empe a u e changes. The mel ing o glacie s can be measu ed
by seismic da a and in asound da a. Ano he a ea is CO2 soil emissions, and measu ing iso ope s abili y in
lakes.
D . Na alya Mikhailo a, Di ec o o he Da a Cen e o he Na ional Nuclea Cen e , p esen ed nuclea es s and
seismology. Pe manen con ol o nuclea ea ies is an impo an issue. Especially in e es ing a e he so-called
aseismic e i o ies o Kazakhs an whe e modeling e idence is missing, and he e o e maps look emp y like
he e would be no ea hquake haza ds. Howe e , his o ic ea hquakes p o e ha ea hquake isk also exis s
ou side o aul lines. Ea hquakes can also occu nea nuclea si es, o whe e he e a e solid mine al deposi s.
The esea ch has led o a new seismic zoning map in 2023 ha included he seismic e en s in a eas no
p e iously iden i ied o be a isk in he 1998 and 2006 maps. Mining explosions a e one eason o man-made
seismic e en s. In he in e ela ion o clima e change wi h glacie s and ea hquakes, c yoseismology eme ges
as a opic. Glacie s can induce ea hquakes by iceb eaking and o he phenomena, so-called ice quakes, wi h
20 yea s o da a o jus i y his esea ch.
Ye lan Sal yko , Ex-di ec o o he science esea ch ins i u e «Alma ygenplan», was p esen ing how s a ups
can con ibu e o concep s o sma ci ies and he e o e o u ban de elopmen mas e plans. The e e enced
pla o m b ings oge he a chi ec s, communi y, scien i ic and in e na ional o ganiza ions o aise unds. They
a e using a i icial in elligence and a e os e ing in e na ional coope a ion.
Sania Beisenbaye a, Head o he Moni o ing and Wa ning Du y Se ice Depa men a he Kazakhs an Agency
o P o ec ion agains Mud lows (Kazselezaschi a) p esen ed on mud lows and glacial lake ou bu s s. The
in e ac ion o haza d- igge ing ac o s such as mel downs des oying mo aines leading o glacie lake
ou bu s s o lows was p esen ed. Mud lows a e a gene al h ea in he coun y. As s a ed, 2-10 million cubic
me e s o deb is low can a el up o 70 km / hou . The e a e se e al me hods o con ol he discha ge o lakes,
such as blas ing, bulldoze s o d ainage pipelines. I is shown ha his is much mo e cos -e ec i e as compa ed
o measu es p o ided o s op he deb is low a e i has le he lake. Me hods and expe imen s s a e back o
he 1960s. Thei wo ks includes he o ecas ing o a eas impac ed by deb is lows.
The las p esen a ion om Aisulu Tu suno a, Head o he Wa e Resou ces Labo a o y and Elmi a Talipo a,
Senio Resea che a he Ins i u e o Geog aphy and Wa e Secu i y was on loods. F om 26 Ma ch un il 14 Ap il
2024, looding occu ed in wes e n Kazakhs an. They ha e been mapping wa e le els using sa elli e image y,
and local wa e le el measu emen s. They conduc image p ocessing be o e and a e he loods using ae ial
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image y and sa elli e image y. They ha e c ea ed a ask o ce o coo dina e he e o s in lood mi iga ion.
Cha s o occu ences ha e been compiled also o decision-make s. Thei ecommenda ions we e
immedia ely implemen ed such as discha ge in eloci y solu ions. They wo k oge he wi h Ge man colleagues
in Po sdam om he PIK. They a e also e y ac i e in public media such as in ele ision in e iews.
Figu e 20: Wo kshop enue a he Al-Fa abi Uni e si y Lib a y (Pho o: Sie ke )
In he a e noon session o he knowledge ans e wo kshop, he INCREASE p ojec was p esen ed. Fi s by
Ve ena Flö chinge (DRU) Be lin, showing he in eg a ed disas e isk managemen app oach o INCREASE.
In e es s and ques ions a e he p esen a ion we e aised on which p ac ices a e used in Ge many ega ding
ea hquakes and which ype o long- e m s a egies a e in place. The Ge man pa ne s showed ha
in o ma ion sys ems exis as well as building codes, bu ha he e is a gene al lack o awa eness and
in o ma ion in Ge many since he e a e ha dly any signi ican ea hquake e en s and expe ience wi h i . T e o
Gi a d´s (KIT) p esen a ion p o ided mo e de ailed insigh s in o ea hquake esea ch.
A e a p esen a ion o INCREASE p oduc s by P o . D . Alexande Feke e (THK) such as oolboxes, in o ma ion
sys ems, and social media applica ions, ques ions came om pa ne s on which da a ypes a e used and how
da a is s o ed in he in o ma ion sys ems. The Ge man pa ne s use a mix o open-sou ce da a as well as
gene a ing da a in he p ojec by empi ical esea ch such as in e iews o by gene a ing seconda y da a om
s a is ics and geoin o ma ion. The p ojec is gene ally hough o be applicable wo ldwide, so i is independen
o disclosu e o p oblems o access om o icial sou ces. Ano he ques ion om he audience was whe he he
Ge man delega ion could in o m hem abou how ea hquake- esis an buildings in Alma y a e. The Ge man
delega ion exp essed ha i has li le expe ience wi h Kazakhs an ye , bu indica ed ce ain building and
cons uc ion ypes ha would be in e es ing o u he esea ch. Fo example, analyzing he di e en isks o
he ype o semi-de ached housing, which has seen a lo o a achmen s and buil -up o adjacen buildings in
pas decades. Compa ing his wi h he esiden ial blocks om he So ie e a, he Ch ushkowka, and hen also
conside ing he building boom o high ises a e he 1990s, especially in he no he n a eas whe e building
codes would need o be checked.
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In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
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The p esen a ion o he Ge man Fede al Agency o Technical Relie (THW) held by Luisa Knoche and Nils
K ippne on S anda d Ope a ing P ocedu es, p o oked in e es in educa ion and ques ions whe he he e
would be an in e es in new mas e p og ams on disas e educ ion, summe schools o simila . Addi ionally,
he de elopmen o SOP could be a use ul ool wi hin a esea ch coope a ion o elabo a e DRM capaci ies and
de ine a eas o knowledge exchange and u u e coope a ion, i.e. in he ield o Capaci y De elopmen .
The inal p esen a ion was by D . Benni Thiebes (DKKV) on he lessons o lea n o he Ge man loods in 2021.
As he inal pa o he wo kshop, u u e unding op ions om a ecen call om he BMBF and also opics o
in e es o u u e co po a ions we e sha ed.
The ice p esiden o NAS, Abay Se ikkano , who joined he delega ion he whole day unde lined in his w ap-
up and concluding ema ks ha his was a highly success ul wo kshop and ha he e is g ea in e es o
engage in acqui ing u u e unding and con inuing Ge man-Kazakh coope a ion.
And especially he co ee b eaks, lunch, he e ening dinne and ime o ans e in-be ween on he bus
enabled exchange o conc e e coope a ion ideas.
Some u u e esea ch ideas iden i ied and inspi ed h oughou he p esen a ions include:
T ansla ing knowledge abou haza d and isk ypes om Kazakh examples o Ge man audiences and ice
e sa, o example:
● GLOFs, and cascading e ec s o mud lows and loods
● Ice quakes, c yo-seismology, sal dome quakes
● Man-made ea hquakes
● “Aseismic” a eas
● Nuclea es si e pollu ion
Join expe iences
● In eg a ing social ulne abili y in o isk mapping, especially o he mal island in ci ies, and iden i ying
adap a ion measu es
● Using emo e and nea sensing o wild i es, he mal iden i ica ion o pe sons, sea ch and escue
● In eg a ed app oaches exis such as in eg a ed wa e esou ces managemen (IWRM), o in eg a ed
lood isk managemen (IFRM), bu wha abou o he haza d ypes and how o b idge his in o IDRM;
wha a e he di e ences ha would ge los when in eg a ing?
5.2 Medeo dam and ci y excu sion Alma y
The day ip o he Medeo dam was led by M s. Bo agoz Shake baye a om he Na ional Academy o Sciences.
I led om he ci y cen e o Alma y in o he alley up o he ice-ska ing s adium Medeu and dam. On he way
di e en building ypes in he sou h eas e n pa o he ci y could be obse ed. These included mainly
esiden ial buildings o en o younge age and highe p ice anges. Especially no ewo hy a e o e g ound gas
pipelines unning along he s ee close o he lanes o h ough he ci y and up o he alley. In a ca acciden
o ea hquake hese could easily be dis up ed.
F om he ice s adium, he g oup walked up he s ai s o he dam. A scien is , M s. Zhana Raimbeko a guided
us o a local s a ion o he Agency o P o ec ion Agains Mud lows and in oduced us o an enginee who
wo ks shi s he e o moni o he dam, wea he s a ions and who is in cha ge o issue wa nings in case o a
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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
glacial lake ou bu s o mud low. He epo ed ha he las mud lows by hea y ains occu ed wo yea s ago
bu did no e en each he dam, on which he wea he s a ion now si s.
Figu e 21: Wea he s a ion on Medeo dam, equipmen (Pho o: Feke e)
The las glacial lake ou bu s was 30 yea s ago. A low ba ie was cons uc ed in he 1950s ha he g oup also
had passed on he bus. The dam was buil in di e en pe iods since he 1960s and he s a ion o he enginee
was es ablished in 1973 when he dam was ex ended in heigh . The dam is qui e deep and wide and has been
almos comple ely illed by a glacial lake ou bu s 30 yea s ago. Howe e , he e is an es ima ed capaci y o
sedimen om glacial lake ou bu s s ha would be 1000 imes he wa e olume o he dam. In case o an
e en o a mud low o glacial lake ou bu s , his should be epo ed by wo people who a e walking and aking
a ca o moni o he condi ions. By adio, hey would wa n he enginee in he s a ion who hen would adio
he wa ning o he ci il p o ec ion uni in he ci y. The enginee es ima ed ha i would ake 30 minu es o ge
he wa ning o he people in he alley. Because he alley is highly popula ed wi h ou is s going o he ice-
ska ing s adium and o go hiking, he e a e police s a ions nea by and hey would also be in o med and could
help o wa n he people.
The s a ion as well as o he houses a e supplied by yellow pipes o na u al gas and g ay pipes ha ca y wa e .
The enginee wo ks a he s a ion o 12 yea s and has ne e expe ienced an in e up ion o supply.
One o his asks is o eco d daily empe a u es o ai and wa e , and he has no expe ienced an inc ease in
empe a u es. He is doing 24-hou shi s and hey a e also senso s ins alled ups eam. A he s a ion he e is
no eme gency ood o equipmen when hey would be cu o as well as a he o he s a ions, hey also don’
ha e powe gene a o s. E e y yea he e’s an eme gency d ill ha also includes a compe i ion.
O e all, he Ge man delega ion was imp essed by his p o ec ion measu e o a la ge dam ha is s ill
main ained and s a ed wi h wo ke s, al hough i was no necessa y o use i o 30 yea s.
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In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
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Figu e 22: Medeo dam and ock all p o ec ion (Pho o: Feke e)
All a ound he a ea aces o landslides could be seen as well as ock alls and wa ning signs o mud loo s and
a alanches. The enginee also had se e al maps showing ypical a alanche lanes in he alleys a ound.
In he a e noon, he cen al eas e n pa o he ci y was isi ed by walking h ough he neighbo hoods. Along
he majo no h sou h alleys, especially in he no he n pa mode n high- ises om he 2000s a e es ablished.
Figu e 23: Business cen e s, ho els and mode n apa men blocks on Dos yk A e. nea A myanskaya (Pho o: Feke e)
Ho el o business cen e s a e loca ed in hose buildings and igh behind i in he second line a e old one o
wo s o y houses wi h la ge ees and ga den a eas. Al hough hose houses a e in he di ec icini y o he ci y
cen e , and in he sou he n and highe pa o he ci y wi h be e ai quali y and in di ec neighbo hoods o
expensi e looking ho els, and business cen e s, hose neighbo hoods o he single houses a e less main ained
and cheape building ma e ial is used. The houses display a a ie y o a chi ec u al s yles and designs. Some
houses ha e ex e io walls clad in co uga ed me al designed o look like b icks, while o he s ha e ga es ha

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Feke e, A e al. (Eds.) 2024
ea u e a s one o wood ex u e. Some e y indi idual measu es o c ossbeam welding could be obse ed in
one building ha could be help ul in an ea hquake.
Figu e 24: Indi idual housing igh behind Dos yk A e, indi idual cons uc ion (Pho o: Feke e)
Bu in nea by s ee s unde nea h he cable ca o Kök Tebe, many indi idual and maybe p i a e building
ac i i ies could be obse ed and housing s uc u es ha looked less eliable in an ea hquake. The i e
unning sou h o no h h ough he ci y has gabions p o ec ing he embankmen s. The ained i e bed is a
a he na ow conc e e channel. A cascade unning quickly h ough he ci y wi h only abou 1 m heigh s o
canal walls ha can easily be o e lown.
Figu e 25: T ained i e and esiden ial a ea benea h Kök Tebe Cable Ca way (Pho os: Feke e/ Flö chinge )
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Figu e 26: Indi idual cons uc ion, elec ici y owe (Pho o: Feke e/ Flö chinge )
Walking down he main a enues u he down sou h and a li le bi mo e in he cen e o he ci y, So ie house
esiden ial apa men blocks could be seen. They a e ei he he i e s o y olde ype wi h no all walls ha ing
windows o he younge nine s o y ypes which qui e o en ha e indi idual ex ension o li ing space a ound
he balconies. Those buildings o en look undown om he ou side.
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Figu e 27: Ea hquake- esis an ho el om a ound 1979 and So ie s yle 5-s o ey apa men block (Pho o: Feke e)
In he down own a ea eas o Naya baye A enue, he e a e esiden ial neighbo hoods inhabi ed by o me
o icials and he uppe class. Un il he yea 2000, ce ain s ee s we e es ic ed o ca s, and e en oday, due
o u ban s uc u e, hey emain a ic-calmed. Median s ips wi h i s and pines, occasionally ea u ing wa e
oun ains, p o ide pedes ians and esiden s wi h a anquil and cool a mosphe e du ing he summe .
Figu e 28: 5-s o ey (Ch ushkowka) and 9-s o ey apa men blocks (B eshnewka) (Pho o: Feke e)
Mo e in o ma ion abou building s uc u e, and ela ions o segmen s o socie y we e p o ided by M s. Alina
Beisseno a, who had al eady joined he wo kshop. She in o med ha houses we e no pe mi ed o be buil
along he i e un il he 2000s, also since hose i e s o en un along ea hquake lines. The e we e iny houses
be o e. The plo s we e gi en o people in he S alin e a who we e sen he e om Russia and o en expelled
he e. This p ocess o ese lemen is e e ed o as ‘kompo ’, which means ‘mixed’ ode ‘di e se’. In he a ea
o Alma y whe e ese lemen occu ed, old Russian houses om he ime when en i e illages we e eloca ed
can s ill be ound oday. Du ing ha pe iod, a is s and poe s, deemed un eliable in Russia, we e also sen
he e. As he ci y has e ol ed, hey now li e in he mids o u ban de elopmen , in an a ea inc easingly a o ed
by he middle-uppe class, o e ing be e ai quali y close o he moun ains. Mo e o he sou h was a Russian
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o ess and a ound i , lowe economic income g oups. A ound he old ain s a ion he e used o be mo e
c iminal ac i i y. The people who a e expelled om Russia and se le in he a ea ied o keep hei p ope ies
and no sell i , despi e he ich neighbo hoods. In compa ison o So ie s yle ha o en did no ha e sewage
o wa e hey ha e ha he e.
Fo u al people, i is mos common o mo e o he ci y and o ind low-income jobs such as wo ke s, axi
d i e s. The Ube and Yandex app helped wi h axi jobs. Unemployed people ge less han $100 o a ew
mon hs only. I hey ge low wage jobs such as s ee sweepe , hey ge $60 pe mon h. I was epo ed ha
he e is homelessness in he ci y. Howe e , his was no appa en o us du ing ou ou ield ip.
I is ypical o hose o me ly u al people o buy mul i gene al gene a ional houses. In o me imes people
om u al a eas could no easily mo e o he ci y due o a pe mission needed o mo e o a ci y.
The i s ain s a ion in he no h saw people ma ginalized om o me Russia o dwell he e. The e is also a
o me social housing whe e o me municipal people ge an apa men o o phans. In he 1970s, he e was
one So ie shopping cen e , which led o a de elopmen o highe p ice li ing a eas. A Tu kish Walma ha
was he i s new shopping mall and became a e y expensi e li ing a ea.
Cen al hea ing is un by ho wa e pipes, which canno be u ned o . The e a e p ac ices ha i one pe son
does no pay elec ici y hen in he whole apa men block he elec ici y is cu o o e e ybody. Since he
2000s, wi h he ise in oil p ices, i has been di icul o some people o se le bills. Ano he p oblem in he ci y
cen e is ha wes eas a ic is o en hinde ed by oads ending a buildings. The no h-sou h connec ions a e
mo e es ablished.
In he 1980s and 1990s he pollu ion came om indus y and was loca ed in ce ain a eas in he ci y, now i is
mo e p e alen wi h mo e and mo e ca s on he s ee s. Plan s and people in he ou ski s o en bu n coal,
adding o he ai pollu ion. A p oblem in he slope a eas a e wa e pipes ha a e leaking and can igge
landslides. This yea a a al landslide occu ed killing se e al people. Ocean sedimen s a e p e alen in he
sou h eas , adding o he landslide isk. Floods a e a cons an issue and he a ea a ound he ai po o en ge s
looded. The cu en mas e plan is a gene al plan which did no pass he mayo 's ag eemen ye .
5.3 Big Alma y Ri e and Cosmo S a ion
On Sunday, 9.6.2024, he Na ional Academy o Sciences led he Ge man delega ion on a day ip o he big
Alma y Lake and o he Cosmo s a ion. The ip s a ed h ough he cen al pa s o he ci y up o he sou h
and inclining o highe ele a ion. In he sou he n pa , la ge spacious uni e si y campuses, wide g een a eas
such as he bo anical ga den, and high ises p edomina e.
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Figu e 41: Moni o ing o seismic ac i i y (Pho o: Feke e)
Asked abou why he wa ning s a ion is buil in o he loodplain, hey didn’ know. While hey seem o be
p epa ed e y well o ea hquakes, he Ge man delega ion was wonde ing why hey would build a no el
wa ning s a ion in o he loodplain. The e a e also no ex a lood ma ks on he buildings o emembe he
heigh o he loods in 2014. The ope a o on si e would also be able o communica e o he eme gency
se ices in Alma y o issue a wa ning o in o m abou ea hquakes. The Talga aul line uns h ough he alley.
The child en in school in Alma y ecei e aining on wha a e p o ec i e walls and whe e hey ha e o s and in
case o an ea hquake.
5.5 Re lec ion ound
The eedback o he Ge man pa icipan s abou he ield ip was e y posi i e. I was a g ea oppo uni y o
expe ience science policy coope a ion om he beginning. The wo kshops a he ins i u ions we e e y
posi i e and success ul since he e was isible in e es in con ac s, ecei ing he slides and in o ma ion, he
p epa a ion o he pa icipan s and a endance o di e en ypes o s akeholde s.
Recommenda ions o imp o emen we e o ha e mo e ime o e lec ions and ee ime in be ween o diges
in o ma ion and explo e he a ea and socie y indi idually, allowing pa icipan s o del e deepe in o hei own
in e es s. The mee ing in As ana also de eloped qui e spon aneously and no all Ge man pa icipan s could
play a ole. Howe e , his was gi en he ci cums ances and o e all was ecei ed as a e y posi i e mee ing
since he objec i es we e achie ed and he e was also isible in e es om he Kazakh side. Ano he eques
was o ha e a ollow-up mee ing be ween he Ge man pa icipan s. While o e all his ip is o be posi i ely
e alua ed, i is wo h discussing al e na i es o se e al highly CO2-emi ing ligh s o u u e a el. This is
pa icula ly ele an since scien is s, like he pa icipan s, esea ch clima e change, adap a ion, and esilience
and should se e as ole models.
Re lec ing on he coope a ion oppo uni ies he pa icipan s men ioned ha bo h hos ing ins i u ions seem
o be a he na u al science o echnology-d i en. Ins i u ions add essing socie al pe spec i es we e p ima ily

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ep esen ed in he o m o NGOs, bu hey we e signi ican ly unde ep esen ed, and he e was a lack o
ep esen a ion om social o cul u al esea ch ins i u ions, p obably since he opic o na u al haza ds is a he
na u al science in hose coun ies.
T ansla ion is a challenge and, in such con ex s, whe e English is no a common language p o essional
ansla o s need o be aken in o conside a ion o he u u e.
Apa om he di ec eedback ound, he ollowing addi ional insigh s can be sha ed abou o ganiza ional
ma e s. The in e na ional o ice s uc u es we e e y help ul indeed since hey helped o e y well o ganize
all he mee ings, and hey speak English. Language is a majo ba ie o coope a ion since ew Ge mans speak
Russian o he local languages. Only a ew o he locals speak English, especially since mos scien is s a e
ained only in Russian. Rega ding he ligh s and ans e , i s o all, he a el ou e by plane was a oiding
he wa zone o e Uk aine. A majo p oblem was ge ing connec ion ligh s in Is anbul o Anka a which caused
a delay o an addi ional one day o ou people o he g oup and causing delays o mos o he o he s as well.
5.6. Inpu om he embassy
In Alma y, Wol gang Faus p o ided aluable insigh s. In Bishkek, M . Cons an in Zelen y p o ided insigh s in o
cul u e, socie y and li ing condi ions in Ky gyzs an, which can be ead in he espec i e sec ion abo e.
M . Faus wo ks o he embassy, had al eady a ended he wo kshop, and joined he Ge man g oup a he las
dinne . He epo ed abou he las ea hquake in Janua y 24 ha people wen ou o hei homes in panic and
did no use collec ion poin s, bu wen o he ca and ied o ge ou o he ci y which c ea ed a ic jams.
A e he ea hquake new sign pos s o eme gency poin s, si en exe cises, and eme gency plans a e
es ablished. The e a e con inuous si en announcemen s now o p ac ice and e acua ion, bu hey a e no
unde s andable o o eigne s like him. The epicen e o he ea hquake was in China wi h a 7.5 magni ude
and i occu ed in Alma y wi h a 5.5 magni ude. The i s ea hquake happened in he middle o he nigh a
0:03 and he second du ing day ime. The e we e no damages, bu he people we e sca ed.
He also obse ed a mobile phone dependency o people elying on map and na iga ion se ices o example.
In case o an eme gency people migh obse e messaging on he phone and be dependen on i .
He also o e ed in e es ing insigh s in o he cul u e o communica ion, which is impo an o p oduc s c ea ed
in he INCREASE p ojec . Fo example, people do no us o icial websi es oo much. This could be impo an
when de eloping a social media app o websi e applica ion o an eme gency au ho i y. Ano he poin is ha
he planning men ali y is no he same as Ge many. Fo example, he agenda and pa icipan s o he
wo kshops we e p epa ed wo weeks be o e and his seems o be a ypical planning phase o he han in
Ge many, whe e hings a e o en planned mon hs be o ehand. In o icial coope a ions, pape wo k wi h many
signa u es and s amps a e highly ecognized as well as pe sonal con ac s.
Smog occu s egula ly be ween No embe o Ap il and du ing day ime mo es on in o he moun ains. In
compa ison o Ge many, he mo i a ion o sa ing ene gy and adap a ion is missing since ene gy such as gas,
elec ici y o wa e is much cheape . They a e used o supply in e up ions and as an example in summe ime
egula ly ou weeks o ho wa e ho wa e is ailing. A landslide had cu o he main wa e supply in he sou h
o he ci y o o e wo weeks. Bu people ha e been used o supply in e up ions since So ie imes.
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He also s a ed ha al eady 40 o 80 km ou side o he ci y, he li ing condi ions a e signi ican ly di e en han
in he ew big ci ies in Kazakhs an. Kazakhs an is a as e i o y wi h only a hand ul o majo ci ies, and is
spa sely popula ed in-be ween. People in u al a eas a e li ing in condi ions we would ega d as ex eme
po e y in Ge many. As an example, hey do no ha e wa e , o elec ici y supply, and ha e o li e om
ainwa e collec ion.
5.7 T ans o ma ional challenges o u ban de elopmen in Alma y and Bishkek
The expe iences o he ield ip and a compa a i e pe spec i e o he u ban de elopmen o Ge man ci ies
allows an assessmen o he ans o ma ional challenges in u ban de elopmen in Alma y and Bishkek.
Bo h ci ies a e acing majo ans o ma ional and, abo e all, g ow h- ela ed challenges, each wi h di e en
s a ing condi ions. E en a e almos 35 yea s, he legacy o So ie u ban planning con inues o play a
dominan ole in he u ban s uc u es o bo h ci ies. This legacy on he one hand and he ma ke -d i en
de elopmen o he pos -So ie phase wi h a depa u e om he p e iously exis ing planning guidelines, has
led o di e en de elopmen s in he wo ci ies.
Compa able in bo h ci ies a e he longe - e m asks in dealing wi h clima e p o ec ion equi emen s
(deca boniza ion and ene gy e iciency, pa icula ly in he housing and mobili y sec o s), he sho e - e m
asks o clima e adap a ion (g owing isks om hea y ain all and hea ), he acu e asks o heal h de elopmen
(including ai pollu an s) and he acu e esilience equi emen s (including p e en ion agains isks and
disas e s, pa icula ly a he oo o he Tien Shan wi h high seismic isks, looding, mudslides and deb is
a alanches e c.).
5.7.1 The iew on Alma y
As a esul o he pos -So ie wa e o mig a ion om Kazakhs an o o he coun ies, Alma y also wen h ough
a phase o declining popula ion g ow h and demand o housing. In pa icula , mig a ion o Russia led o a
sha p decline in he popula ion ac oss he coun y. In addi ion o he p i a iza ion o housing, his esul ed in
acan la s in he cen al esiden ial a eas o he ci y. One consequence o his weakness in demand and
pu chasing powe was ha he e was li le o no in es men in exis ing buildings du ing his phase. New
esiden ial cons uc ion also emained low du ing his phase as, despi e he new ma ke o ganiza ion, he e
we e only limi ed in es men p ospec s due o he o eseeable weak g ow h in demand a he ime.
Wi h he de elopmen o he aw ma e ial ields a e he u n o he millennium and he oil expo s, he e was
a s ong economic boom in he 2000s o his cen u y. This also gene a ed an eno mous g ow h in u ban
de elopmen in e ms o inhabi an s and an in es men boom in p ope y, which is s ill con inuing. The
g ow h o he se ice sec o has o ced he cons uc ion o highly p es igious o ice buildings, ini ially adjacen
o he ci y cen e . In addi ion, esiden ial in es men s o a ious ypes ha e been made in many pa s o he
u ban a ea. Alma y has g own bo h in he sou h in o he p e iously unse led o weekend home a eas a he
oo o he Tien Shan. And Alma y has g own ex ensi ely in o he no he n lowlands. As a esul , he isks and
bu dens in new se lemen a eas ha e also inc eased and en o ced he challenges o he ci y.
Despi e he boom phase, he ci y is s ill cha ac e ized by many esiden ial buildings om he a ious e as o
So ie housing cons uc ion wi h appa en ly a low le el o mode niza ion. In iew o he medium and long-
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e m global u ban ans o ma ion asks o clima e p o ec ion and clima e adap a ion as well as he esul ing
ene gy- ela ed asks, hese speci ic housing s ocks in Alma y ace majo challenges.
The So ie legacy wi h a dis ic hea ing sys em in he cen al ci y a eas (which has been epo ed o be
compa a i ely ine icien om oday's pe spec i e) o e s g ea po en ial, a leas wi h ega d o u u e ene gy
sou ces. This in ol es u u e s a e decisions o swi ch he ene gy supply om coal powe o new ene gy
sou ces (possibly na u al gas as a b idging echnology). These decisions a e o be aken cen ally and a e
he e o e p obably ou side he in es men p ocesses o be o ganized a he ci y and indi idual building le els.
In he nume ous subu ban se lemen a eas, bo h he dense mul i-s o y esiden ial buildings and he mo e
ecen de ached houses buil o a simple s anda d (possibly also using p o isional echniques), he e a e majo
ans o ma ion asks in e ms o building ene gy and building sa e y. Mode niza ion equi emen s wi h ega d
o ene gy s anda ds (cold win e s and po en ial sa ings), ea hquake sa e y (high seismic isks), lood
p o ec ion (exposu e) and he undamen al need o mode niza ion a e key challenges. The owne ship
s uc u e is p edominan ly small-scale, i.e. indi idual p i a e owne s, ei he as owne -occupie s o small-scale
landlo ds. This in ol es he di icul balance o ini ia ing in es men s on he one hand and a oiding inancial
o e bu dening o low-income households on he o he .
This will p obably no be achie able h ough egula o y equi emen s alone bu will equi e u he
mechanisms and dosed incen i es in ela ion o echnical o ganiza ional issues (cos -sa ing solu ions, pe sonal
con ibu ions) and inancial incen i es. Based on expe ience in Ge many, a ea-based app oaches a e sui able
o ealizing such compa a i ely complex mechanisms. In addi ion, unde s anding he ans o ma ion asks in
an in eg a ed neighbo hood con ex also o e s s a ing poin s o o ganizing p e en i e measu es and
esponse op ions in c isis si ua ions. The ans o ma ional ask o u ban de elopmen can be conc e ized and
ope a ionalized in speci ic a ea-based app oaches.
Alma y de eloped a mas e plan wi h isions o dealing wi h he u u e challenges o u ban de elopmen
o e he nex wo decades. The mas e plan also add esses he na ionwide goals o deca boniza ion. The
mas e plan o e s he e o e a good oppo uni y o ollow up on he ou lined issues in he u u e and o ake a
speci ic, supplemen a y look a in-dep h implemen a ion issues.
5.7.2 The iew on Bishkek
One o he undamen al di e ences be ween Bishkek and Alma y is he le el o pu chasing powe , which is
e lec ed in GDP pe capi a, o example. The economic ou pu pe inhabi an in Kazakhs an is a leas i e o
en imes highe han in Ky gyzs an. In addi ion, he popula ion o Ky gyzs an is only a ound a hi d o ha o
Kazakhs an. This undamen al s a ing si ua ion has o be e lec ed in he amewo k condi ions o u ban
de elopmen .
In he i s pos -So ie phase, Bishkek expe ienced a decline in popula ion and a signi ican ly weakened
demand o housing, which changed again in he ollowing yea s o a popula ion g ow h ha con inues o his
day and hus also g ow h in housing and se lemen a eas. The pu chasing powe o his g ow h comes pa ly
om he o eign income o empo a y labo mig an s om Bishkek, who also use i o inance hei own
p ope ies.
In Bishkek, he e was no an expo su plus-d i en de elopmen boom compa able o Alma y, meaning ha
he in es men p essu e emained signi ican ly lowe . The So ie u ban and building s uc u e cha ac e izes
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he ci yscape o Bishkek e en mo e han in Alma y. Bishkek, like Alma y, bene i s om he g een s uc u e o
he main magis als and complemen a y u ban g een a eas as well as he open i iga ion di ches (in conc e e)
in a sou h-no h o ien a ion ollowing he g adien . On he one hand, he legacy o he building s ock om he
a ious phases o So ie u ban planning equi es an o e he ime inc easing in es men s. On he o he hand,
he u ban g ow h in he ollowing yea s has mainly aken place in wo a eas. Wi hin he a eas close o he ci y
cen e o along anspo axes (on b own ield si es o h ough he demoli ion o small o me buildings) new
mul i-s o ey housing has been buil , o en in a simple s anda d. Local epo s ha he p ojec s inanced by
indi idual owne s and ealized by p ojec de elope s a e inanced o a la ge ex en by he o eign income o
household membe s.
In he second place, Bishkek is g owing in he pe iphe al a eas, bo h in highe loca ions in he di ec ion o he
Tien Shan (highe -quali y loca ions due o he a oidance o smog pollu ion) and in he su ounding plains. This
g ow h is p edominan ly in single- amily house cons uc ion, o en o a e y simple s anda d and equen ly
wi h a lo o wo k done by he households hemsel es. The esiden ial a eas wi h small ga dens o inne
cou ya ds a e usually enced o wi h simple high ences and he neighbo hoods e iden ly ha e low-quali y
public spaces. Due o he expansion o he se lemen a eas, he ci y o Bishkek is inco po a ing he
neighbo hoods.
One o he ans o ma ional challenges in Bishkek, p obably e en mo e acu e han in Alma y, is he educ ion
o ai pollu ion caused by ine dus . Pa icula ly in he win e mon hs, he amoun o smog causes a
conside able bu den on he inhabi an s, especially as he win e popula ion o Bishkek is es ima ed o inc ease
by se e al hund ed housand compa ed o he summe mon hs. Family membe s who spend he summe in
u al a eas come o he ci y o join hei amilies and ela i es. A majo ac o is he ene gy used o hea homes
in he simple de ached houses, which mainly bu n coal o wood o cos easons. E en i he e a e gas pipes in
he access oads, he connec ion cos s and he in es men in he gas boile a e o en an economic obs acle o
he households. As a medium- e m b idging echnology, he expansion o gas u iliza ion (including highe CO2
e iciency compa ed o coal and wood) would be an impo an ans o ma ional building block, which can also
be expec ed o achie e g ea e local accep ance due o i s di ec impac on smog.
In summa y, he challenges in Bishkek a e, on he one hand, he mode niza ion o he olde So ie housing
s ock wi h long- e m solu ions o ene gy ans o ma ion (deca boniza ion) and he ques ion o how such
p ocesses can be o ganized in la ge communi ies o owne s. On he o he hand, he e a e conside able
challenges in he simple single- amily housing s ock wi h an acu e need o ac ion wi h ega d o ai pollu an s
in he con e sion om coal and wood i ing o gas o possibly al e na i e ene gy sou ces. He e, he main ocus
is on incen i es ha enable households o ind solu ions in iew o hei low pu chasing powe , such as
mic oc edi s, in e es elie , p o essional quali ica ion/ins uc ion o sel -help o neighbo ly o ganiza ion o
sel -help.
A he same ime, bo h ypes a e also conce ned wi h he ans o ma ion o esilien neighbo hoods and o
combine ea hquake sa e y, lood p o ec ion and hea esilience wi h o ganiza ional p e en i e neighbo hood
managemen in he ace o c ises. A ea-based app oaches should also be discussed in Bishkek as a conc e e
le el o ac ion and implemen a ion. As no mas e plan p ocess compa able o Alma y is known in Bishkek, he
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ques ions and opics ou lined he e could be discussed as a building block o a possible u u e u ban
de elopmen p ocess.

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6. Summa y and Conclusion
The goals o he ield ip ha e been achie ed. Na u al haza d ypes ha a e simila o Ge many could be seen
on-si e such as lood haza ds, landslides, o hea in ci ies. O he na u al haza d ypes ha Ge many is no
amilia wi h such as ea hquakes, glacial lake ou bu s s, man-made ea hquakes, and mo e a e impo an o
lea n abou , and Cen al Asian coun ies o e a long ange o expe ise in in e disciplina y ields and a e e y
open o sha e knowledge. Ne e heless, i seems ha he ield o disas e esea ch is p edominan ly
ep esen ed by na u al and echnical sciences. To wha ex en he e a e ins i u es ha esea ch haza ds and
disas e s om a social science pe spec i e could no be su icien ly iden i ied du ing he ield- ip. The second
goal o he ield ip o iden i y s akeholde s o cu en and u u e coope a ion has also been achie ed. Based
on p e-exis ing con ac s made a ailable h ough he DLR PT and h ough long- e m unding lines o BMBF
in es ing in cen e s such as CAIAG o CASIB in Ky gyzs an o Kazakhs an and he long ange o join Uni e si y
ac i i ies a Ge man and Kazakh uni e si ies u he enabled o success ully in e ac ing wi h a wide ange o
disciplines. Bu also h ough con ac s o he Ge man embassy and h ough he ole o a na ional au ho i y such
as THW and by in i a ion o e en s, such as he Ge man Kazakh Science Days in Oc obe 2023, and an in i a ion
a e he loods in Kazakhs an, by he Kazakh Embassy in Be lin, con ac s could be es ablished a he o icial
lines o be in i ed o minis ies. In bo h coun ies, no only scien is s bu also ep esen a i es om minis ies
wi h di ec connec ion o disas e in e ac ed on isk and eme gency managemen opics and o e ed no only
hei expe ise bu also in e es in u u e coope a ion. O he ypes o s akeholde s such as NGOs we e also
p esen and could p o ide impo an addi ional in o ma ion abou socie y, ins i u ional and cul u al se ings.
Bu especially being on-si e in he coun ies again p o ed o be i eplaceable by online mee ings. The o mal
wo kshops helped e y much o es ablish knowledge exchange and o se he scene o ge o know and
con ac each o he as well as o demons a e he exis ing s ock o expe ise. Bu especially he in o mal
mee ings and ime o s ay in he coun y o a longe pe iod, enabled he pa icipan s o s a ga he ing
con ac s and gaining us o u he coope a ion.
Speci ic gene al opics o in e es o he pa ne s in bo h Ky gyzs an and Kazakhs an we e:
● Go e nance
● Mul i-haza d and isk assessmen
● Resilience
● Tools
● Wa ning
Mu ual bene i s o all we e:
a) Local scien i ic ins i u ions had an occasion o (in e disciplina y) in e ac ion, e.g., o access people a he
na ional esea ch cen e di ec ly o ques ions abou da a o coope a ion.
b) T ansdisciplina y in e ac ion was also acili a ed by he wo kshops, so ha academics could in e ac wi h
public adminis a ion and au ho i ies, bu also NGOs.
c) in e na ional exchange was os e ed h ough he knowledge exchange h ough he wo kshops and day
ips.
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The hi d goal o he u u e has also been achie ed, in ha he p oduc s o he p ojec INCREASE could be
demons a ed and eedback could be collec ed. The p oduc s shown such as he in eg a ed IDRM amewo k
app oach, he o e all idea o in eg a ing mul iple haza ds and dimensions o po en ial losses and damages
was e y well ecei ed and mu ual in e es s we e iden i ied in bo h coun ies. The ools om INCREASE ha
we e shown, such as in o ma ion sys ems ha enable be e in eg a ion o di e en scien i ic me hods and
app oaches, bu a he same ime p o ides he in o ma ion in unde s andable o ma s and isualiza ion also
o decision-make s, was a e y sha ed expe ience and enabled o di ec ly ma ch di e en scien i ic ields, bu
also enabled o scien is s o di ec ly ind a language on which opics o wo k oge he . I was also a sha ed
expe ience ha i is inc easingly impo an o in eg a e people in o isk communica ion and especially he
di icul ies o how o in o m people be o e and du ing a disas e . Also, gene a ing awa eness abou isks is
some hing ha needs a b oad app oach o communica ion lines. Social media apps a e inc easingly gaining
impo ance, especially among he younge popula ion g oups, bu also o he o ms o communica ion we e
exchanged. Unde s anding cul u e and how people hink, and ac is key in unde s anding disas e isk as well
as daily li elihoods.
This is impo an no only o be e in eg a e people in o a holis ic disas e isk managemen app oach bu
also o be e ma ch unde s anding be ween o ganiza ions and all ypes o s akeholde s. This is impo an o
gene a e an in e cul u al exchange be ween in e na ional pa ne s, well in ad ance o a u u e disas e so ha
in a disas e si ua ion, he coope a ion and mu ual unde s anding o p ocedu es, s uc u es and also cul u al
challenges is al eady known. Since in a disas e such as an ea hquake o majo loods, i is key ha
coo dina ion and managemen a e wo king and do no ail in he eyes o he public o sa e li es and a oid
majo economic damages.
I was highly impo an o lea n abou cul u al as well as ins i u ional aspec s, in addi ion o scien i ic me hods
and ools. The e o e, also he las goal o he ield ip was achie ed when he Ge man pa ne s in a
mul idisciplina y and mul i- isk complex p ojec inally go o wo k oge he on si es on he g ound and in an
un amilia in e na ional se ing. Being in a di e en in e na ional en i onmen helps e y much o be e
iden i y wha needs o be obse ed when ying o ans e p oduc s de eloped. I also helped o gene a e
mu ual unde s anding o di e en me hodological scien i ic app oaches be ween he Ge man pa ne s. A he
same ime, in e na ional coope a ion and lea ning could be conduc ed. And inally, conc e e ideas, on how o
ad ance he ideas and indings o he p ojec INCREASE and o sus ain i o e he li e ime o he p ojec unding
could be collec ed and documen ed in his epo . O e all, his shows ha disas e isk opics a e uni e sal and
a e key no only o sol ing majo humani a ian challenges such as li es a isk bu also a e an excellen opic
o gene a ing knowledge and scien i ic exchange on opics ha a e c ossing no only na ional bu also
poli ical and cul u al bo de s. The isibili y o expe ise and s akeholde s exis ing in Ge many o con ac o
opics such as na u al haza ds, and disas e isk p epa edness, bu also in a conc e e disas e si ua ion has been
imp o ed h ough his ield ip. Th ough he unding and scien i ic wo k, long e m ou comes ha e been
achie ed such as ins i u ional coope a ion, scien i ic knowledge ha is ans e able and conc e e ools ha
can be applied in di e en se ings. Long- e m impac s, such as cul u al and ins i u ional unde s anding ha e
also been os e ed h ough his ield ip and p ojec .
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Annex
Wo kshop a CAIAG, Bishkek, June 4, 2024
Full name
O ganiza ion/posi ion
Almabek Aidakee
Minis y o Eme gency Si ua ions, Sec e a ia o he Na ional Pla o m
o he Ky gyz Republic o Disas e Risk Reduc ion, Head o he
Sec e a ia
Mede Dzhumabae
Ea hquake Resis an Cons uc ion Ins i u e
Albina Abdyldae a
Ea hquake Resis an Cons uc ion Ins i u e
Se gei E okhin
Ins i u e o Wa e P oblems and Hyd opowe
Dmi y Pe epeli sin
Ins i u e o Wa e P oblems and Hyd opowe
Volko Roman
Ins i u e o Wa e P oblems and Hyd opowe
A y gul Dzhumabae a
Ins i u e o Seismology NAS KR
Valen ina G ebenniko a
Ins i u e o Seismology NAS KR
Akzhol oy Mambe sadyko a
Ins i u e o Seismology NAS KR
Gulnu a Mambe o a
Ins i u e o Seismology NAS KR
Ulugbek Begalie
Rec o o he In e na ional Uni e si y o Inno a i e Technologies,
P esiden o he In e na ional Associa ion o Ea hquake Resis an
Cons uc ion Expe s
Elmi a Sa da beko a
Ky gyz Ci il Enginee ing Ins i u e named a e N. Isano , Depa men
o Ecology and P o ec ion in Eme gency Si ua ions
Gulmi a Shabiko a
Ky gyz Ci il Enginee ing Ins i u e named a e N. Isano , Depa men
o Ecology and P o ec ion in Eme gency Si ua ions
E kinbek Koichumano
Camp Ala-Too
Mu a Zhumashe
Di ec o , Camp Ala-Too
Ka abek Uzakbae
CAIAG
Alexande Zubo ich
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Ryskul Usubalie
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Sheishenaly Usupae
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Ulan Abdybachae
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Sheishenaly Usupae
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57
In eg a i e Risk and Secu i y Resea ch
Volume 1/ 2024
Nazgul Alybae a
CAIAG
Nazgul Usupbeko a
CAIAG
Azama Sha shebae
CAIAG
Oleg Pod ezo
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Olga Kalashniko a
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Azama Osmono
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