Nice (France), June 7: P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasized that resilience should be deeply embedded in the core of development policies. He made the statement while welcoming the African Union Commission as the latest member of the New Delhi-based Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
Mishra, who co-chairs the CDRI, was addressing member countries and institutions at the Seventh International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI), held on the sidelines of the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice.
He praised the growing strength of the CDRI, now comprising 54 members, all unified by a shared vision that resilience must be integral to sustainable development strategies.
Earlier in the week, the African Union Commission convened a regional consultation in Geneva to shape a collective African position on disaster risk reduction. Held during preparatory events for the Global Platform 2025, the consultation brought together representatives from African Union member states, regional economic blocs, and key development partners.
The CDRI is a global partnership of 46 countries and eight partner organizations. It works to bolster the resilience of infrastructure systems against the increasing risks posed by climate change and natural disasters. Its membership spans governments, international bodies, and the private sector, facilitating global knowledge exchange, research, funding, and implementation of best practices in resilient infrastructure.
Highlighting the urgency of coastal protection, CDRI Director General Amit Prothi stated, “Coastal resilience is crucial for safeguarding both lives and livelihoods. ICDRI 2025 serves as a global platform to guide meaningful action, especially for vulnerable coastal regions and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).”
Prothi noted that through its IRIS initiative, the CDRI is currently supporting 24 infrastructure projects across 25 SIDS, promoting inclusive and sustainable development.
At the conference, the coalition reaffirmed its dedication to advancing disaster-resilient infrastructure in Africa. Key announcements included 53 new research grants covering 21 countries, alongside a renewed call to fast-track resilience-building efforts in island nations.
With nearly 37% of the world’s population living within 100 km of a coastline, contributing around $1.5 trillion to the global GDP annually, and with 90% of global goods transported via sea, strengthening coastal resilience is a top international priority.( With Agency Input)
