A high level Ministerial delegation from India headed by Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs will be participating in the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction 2018 (AMCDRR 2018) to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 03-06 July, 2018. The AMCDRR 2018 is expected to host over 3,000 delegates and participants from Asian and Pacific countries, governmental and inter-governmental organisations, United Nations and international organisations, and stakeholder groups including National Societies of Red Cross and Red Crescent Organisations, Children and Youth, Civil Society and Community Practitioners, Women, Parliamentarians, Local Authorities, Science and technology and Academia, Private sector, media, Disability.
Dr. P K Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Shri R K Jain, Member, NDMA, Shri Kamal Kishore, Member, NDMA, Dr. K J Ramesh, Director General, India Meteorological Department and Shri Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, Joint Secretary (Disaster management), Ministry of Home Affairs will be part of the Official delegation. In addition, Officers from different States, IITs and private sectors will also participate in the above said conference.
The theme of the AMCDRR 2018: ‘Preventing Disaster Risk: Protecting Sustainable Development’ reflects the essence of the Sendai Framework. Development that does not take risk into account cannot be sustainable. Thus, disaster risk reduction is a key instrument to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, as highlighted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The theme of the AMCDRR 2018 is aligned with the theme of the 2018 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development that focuses on ‘Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies’.
The conference will represent a key milestone for reflection on three years into the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Specifically, the conference will enable governments and stakeholders to review progress made against the commitments at the AMCDRR 2016, i.e. the New Delhi Declaration, the Asia Regional Plan, and ten stakeholder voluntary action statements.
The AMCDRR 2018 will take place 18 months after the UN General Assembly adopted the set of indicators to monitor progress against the seven targets of the Sendai Framework. Countries will by then be preparing for their first cycle of reporting against the Sendai Monitor, which will identify initial achievement in preventing and reducing disaster risk as well as gaps that require attention. The AMCDRR 2018 will provide a unique forum for those countries and cities that have not yet developed and/or updated their DRR strategies and thus meet target, the most immediate deadline of the Sendai Framework.
Shri Kiren Rijiju will present the Country Statement on 4th July, 2018. Besides, Shri Rijiju, who has been designated as the Asia Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction, will chair the technical Session-III on “investing DRR on governance” on 5th July, 2018, while Dr. P K Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister will co-chair the Featured Event on “Strengthening disaster resilient Infrastructure and urban resilience” on 5th July, 2018. Shri Kamal Kishore, Member, NDMA will be a speaker in the same event. While Mr. R K Jain, Member, NDMA will present case study on Heat Wave in Technical Session. Ministerial level and Officers level, bilateral meetings will also be organized with important participating countries.
The Government of India will also organize a side event during the AMCDRR 2018 on Cultural Heritage and Disaster risk management. In addition, participants from Private Sector/FICCI will participate in an event being jointly organised by Mongolian Chambers of Commerce, ARISE & FICCI. Few Indian companies are also expected to present their organisation activities on DRR.
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