BRICS disaster risk reduction working group meeting from tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: The first in-person technical meeting of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Working Group under India’s presidency will start in Puri from June 3, officials said Monday. The agenda includes sustainable financing for disaster risk reduction, resilient infrastructure and early warning systems, with additional discussions on anticipatory response and the use of traditional knowledge in resilience planning.Representatives, policymakers and disaster management specialists from BRICS member and partner countries are expected to attend the three-day event. Odisha was selected as the host state due to its widely recognised performance in cyclone preparedness, disaster response planning and early warning capabilities. The state will present its approaches to community-led disaster governance and climate-resilient infrastructure, according to the revenue and disaster management department.Proceedings will begin from Wednesday with side events covering disaster financing, multi-hazard warning systems, nature-based solutions and technological innovation. Core sessions on Thursday and Friday will focus on financing models for DRR, inclusive early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure, along with field visits such as demonstrations of Ramachandi boat rescue operations.Officials said the gathering aims to deepen cooperation among BRICS countries, promote exchange of practices and expertise, and support the creation of policy frameworks and scalable models for disaster risk reduction.