International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure begins

New Delhi: The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI 2022) kicked off in New Delhi in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday. 

The three-day conference’s goal is to bring all 27 member countries and other stakeholders together on a single platform to confront difficulties in disaster-resilient infrastructure and propose long-term solutions.

Inaugurating the conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Infrastructure is not just about the creation of capital assets and generating a long-term return on investment. It is not about the numbers, it is not about the money, it is about people. It is about providing them with high-quality, dependable, and sustainable services, “he said.

In an equitable manner, people must be at the heart of any infrastructure growth story. And that is exactly what we in India are trying to do, he further added.

The Prime Minister said can we create a resilient infrastructure that is built to last with modern technology and knowledge at our disposal? Recognizing this challenge underpins the creation of CDRI. In the short time of two and a half years, CDRI has undertaken important initiatives and made valuable contributions.

Sharing the same sentiment, the Australian Prime Minister said, “I am delighted to be with you at this conference because of climate change. The frequency of events such as droughts, fires, cyclones, and floods is increasing. Small island states, especially our Pacific family, are particularly vulnerable. “

Calling for collaboration in the Indo-Pacific Region Japan’s Prime Minister, Kishida Fumio, said, “Japan intends to contribute to the initiative of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, utilizing the knowledge and technologies fostered through our past experiences of disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons. We also expect CDRI to play a significant role in the Quad’s efforts to adapt to climate change.

In this context, I am delighted to learn that this year’s ICDRI will feature a session where experts from the four countries, namely Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, are expected to exchange views on the augmentation of disaster resilience and collaboration in the Indo-Pacific Region, he added.

The first day of the conference witnessed sessions on themes including utilizing a future-thinking and foresight approach, refurbishment and replenishment of aging infrastructure, and integrating resilience and adaptation into infrastructure investment.

The opening day also included a session highlighting the whole-of-government approach to climate change and resilience by the U.S. government.

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched by the Prime Minister of India at the Climate Action Summit in New York in 2019, with the aim of addressing the challenges of building resilience infrastructure systems and associated development.