Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

The Government of India (on 28.08.2019) approved establishment of an international Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI, with its supporting Secretariat office in New Delhi. Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister announced the launch CDRI at the United Nations Climate Action Summit, in New York on 23rd September 2019.

CDRI is a global partnership of National Governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, academic and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development. CDRI is governed by its Charter and Countries and stakeholders endorse the Charter to be the Members of the CDRI.

Governance arrangements for CDRI Secretariat comprises three principal bodies, viz., the Governing Council, the Executive Committee and the Secretariat in New Delhi headed by a Director General appointed by the Governing Council. Government of India will be a permanent Co-Chair of the Governing Council of CDRI. United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States of America, is the current rotational Co-chair of the GC. USAID holds the Co- chair for the period of 2022-24. Necessary privileges and immunities, applies to CDRI under United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1947.

CDRI has also created a dedicated initiative “Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS)”, which will work to achieve sustainable development through a systematic approach to promote resilient, sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

IRIS was launched by the Prime Ministers of India, Australia, Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius and the UK at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 02nd November, 2021 at Glasgow.

CDRI is the major global initiative launched by the Government of India and is seen as India's attempts to obtain a global leadership role in climate change and disaster resilience matters.

The Government of India (on 28.08.2019) approved establishment of an international Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI, with its supporting Secretariat office in New Delhi, at an outlay of Rs. 480 crore (approx. USD 70 million) for a corpus required to fund technical assistance and research projects on an ongoing basis over a period of 5 years from 2019-20 to 2023-24.

The Prime Minister announced CDRI at the United Nations Climate Action Summit, in New York City on 23rd September 2019.

CDRI is a global partnership of National Governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, academic and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development. CDRI promotes rapid development of resilient infrastructure to respond to the Sustainable Development Goals’ imperatives of expanding universal access to basic services, enabling prosperity and decent work. It is established with aims and objectives:

• To support countries, including India, to upgrade their systems to ensure disaster and climate resilience of existing and future infrastructure through its programmes, while aligning with the Sustainable Development Coals, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• To provide a global mechanism for financing and coordination of the effective implementation of the aims of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (here-in-after referred to as the "Coalition" and/or "CDRI") as enshrined in the Charter.
• To act in accordance with the Charter of CDRI, ensuring that the principles which led to the Coalition's formation, and the spirit and values core to its operation, are respected and embodied.

CDRI hosts its Secretariat office in New Delhi. Governance arrangements for CDRI Secretariat comprises three principal bodies, viz., the Governing Council, the Executive Committee and the Secretariat in New Delhi headed by a Director General appointed by the Governing Council. Government of India will be a permanent Co-Chair of the Governing Council of CDRI. United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States of America, is the current rotational Co-chair of the GC. USAID holds the Co- chair for the period of 2022-24.

Countries joined:

CDRI has been expanding its membership consistently by attracting a wide variety of economically advanced countries, developing countries, and countries that are most vulnerable to climate change and disasters. Present CDRI’s membership as on 31.01.2024 is of 39 countries and 7 International Organisations.

The following are CDRI’s strategic priorities:

• Technical Support and Capacity-building: This includes disaster response and recovery support; innovation, institutional and community capacity-building assistance; and standards and certification.
• Research and Knowledge Management: This includes collaborative research; global flagship reports; and a global database of infrastructure and sector resilience.
• Advocacy and Partnerships: This includes global events and initiatives; marketplace of knowledge financing and implementation agencies; and dissemination of knowledge products.

CDRI has been accorded the status of an International Organization by the Government of India via a Headquarters Agreement in August 2022. The President has approved the ratification of Headquarters Agreement and vide notification dated 11th January, 2024, necessary privileges and immunities provided under United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1947 applies to CDRI.

Hon'ble Prime Minister launched the CDRI at UN Climate Action Summit 2019.

Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS)

Given the high vulnerability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and increasing demand for support from them, the CDRI has created a dedicated initiative “Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS)”.

IRIS was launched by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 02nd November, 2021 at Glasgow. He was joined by Prime Minister of United Kingdom Mr Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of Australia Mr Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Fiji Mr Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Jamaica Mr Andrew Holness and Prime Minister of Mauritius Mr Pravind Jugnauth.

IRIS is CDRI’s first and largest international programme to provide technical support on multifaceted issues posed by infrastructure systems and promote disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure assets in SIDS. It works to achieve sustainable development through a systematic approach to promote resilient, sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in SIDS.

The goal of IRIS will directly contribute to the SAMOA Pathway (SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action), and target to deliver three outcomes with progress monitored against these outcomes through the lifecycle of IRIS.

Hon'ble Prime Minister launched IRIS at at COP26 Summit in Glassgow.

Turkiye Earthquake - 2023

On 06.02.2023 at around 0647 hrs (IST), an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck Turkiye and North-West Syria, resulting in significant casualties.

On the same day, a review meeting was held at PMO and directions were issued to mobilize 02 NDRF teams to Turkiye. Accordingly, 02 teams with a total of 101 rescuers were airlifted on 7th Feb 2023 to Turkiye. In addition, on 8th Feb, 2023 third team of 51 rescuers was also airlifted from Hindon Airbase to Turkiye.

All the 03 teams conducted Collapsed Structure Search & Rescue (CSSR) ops from 08.02.2023 to 18.02.2023 and rescued 02 victims alive and retrieved 85 dead bodies.

Cooperation with UNDRR

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) UNDRR coordinates international efforts in disaster risk reduction and it reports on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It convenes the biennial Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Government of India and UNDRR [Earlier UNISDR United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction] signed a Statement of Cooperation (SOC) on the second day in the margins of Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) held in New Delhi during 3rd -5th November 2016 wherein India made one-time contribution of US $ 1 Million to UNISDR towards implementation of the functional areas identified in cooperation statement.

The Statement underlined the guiding principles, objectives and areas of cooperation between India and UNDRR towards the effective implementation and monitoring of the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), which was adopted at the Third World Conference on DRR at Sendai in Japan in March 2015.

SOC outlined four thematic areas of Gol's preference to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of the Sendai Framework viz. (i) Establishment of Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), (ii) Establishment of Facility for Technical Support to Post-Disaster Housing Reconstruction, (iii) Support to Monitoring and Implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR (SFDRR) and (iv) Establishment of e-­platform or strengthening of an existing e-platform for optimal utilisation of expertise and resources on disaster risk management.

India partnered with UNDRR to work towards strengthening the capacity of Asian countries in ensuring training and capacity building for Asian countries; promoting international and regional cooperation to reinforce political commitment, facilitate knowledge sharing and strengthen the capacity of UNDRR for monitoring and review of the Sendai Framework. It also facilitated the sharing of knowledge and experiences, and collaborative efforts towards addressing critical regional challenges.

Nepal Earthquake - 2015

On 25th April 2015, Nepal was rocked by a devastating Earthquake of magnitude 7.8, resulting in massive loss of lives and infrastructure and raised the fear of a humanitarian disaster across the Himalayan nation. The tremors were also felt across the areas in whole of Northern India.

The Govt. of India took initiative to deploy 16 USAR teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) comprising more than 700 rescuers along with 18 dogs trained in USAR operation with latest gadgets at various earthquake hit areas of Nepal. The operation continued from 25 April, 2015 to 04 May, 2015

Under the able leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, NDRF teams rescued 11 injured persons and retrieved 133 dead bodies from the rubble. The teams also organized 06 medical camps and attended to 1219 persons. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) dispatched 1176.571 tonnes of relief materials donated by various agencies to quake affected people of Nepal via rail/ road / air route.

Earthquake in Rifu Cho, Japan- 2011

On 11.03.2011, an earthquake of massive proportions measuring 8.9 on Richter scale tore apart the North-Eastern part of Japan comprising its Tohoku region.

The Govt of India deployed 01 NDRF team for the period from 27.03.2011 to 07.04.2011 in Rifu Cho, Onagawa, Japan under the India Rescue and Rehabilitation Mission post the Tsunami. The operation was conducted in Onagawa town in subzero temperature.

During the operation, team managed to extricate 07 bodies from the rubble after more than two weeks of the disaster. The team recovered & handed over cash worth fifty million yen to the local authorities apart from the valuables.