Member Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority Shri Kamal Kishore, delivered the opening remarks and reiterated the deliverables for the Working Group. He urged the members to collectively think on how they can prioritize the deliverables and bring them into motion. Proposed deliverables for the way forward included a focus on disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure, inventory of risk assessment tools for infrastructure, and good practices for financing Build Back Better, among others. The importance of public financing by local governments, international aid, and private sector finance for DRR was also discussed.
The session on eco-system based approaches concluded with a commitment from the G20 DRR Working Group to explore new and innovative ways of implementing eco-system based approaches to disaster risk reduction.
The DRR Working Group meeting at Gandhinagar has been a significant event in advancing the global Disaster Risk Reduction agenda. Delegates from G20 countries have shared their best practices, discussed challenges, and identified opportunities to collaborate towards achieving the Sendai Framework's goals. The event has demonstrated the importance of global cooperation in building resilience to disasters.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks from the Presidency and also announced that the second meeting will be held from 23rd May to 25th May in Mumbai. The Working Group has emphasized the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to Disaster risk reduction, with a focus on building resilient communities worldwide. The G20 DRR Working Group will continue to lead the way in this effort, playing a crucial role in creating a safer and more sustainable world for all. Their ongoing efforts are vital to ensure that communities around the globe are better prepared for and protected against the risks of disasters.
Following the meeting delegates were taken on a tour to Smriti Van memorial at Bhuj. At the memorial, exhibits and presentations depicting the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region of Gujarat were showcased to the visiting delegates.