Puri: The second technical meeting of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Working Group commenced in Puri on Wednesday, bringing together policymakers, disaster management experts and officials from 11 BRICS member and partner nations to discuss strategies for enhancing disaster resilience and risk mitigation.
The three-day meeting, which will continue until June 5, marks the first in-person technical meeting of the BRICS DRR Working Group under India’s BRICS Presidency. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is scheduled to participate in the deliberations on Thursday.
Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said India had earlier chaired the first technical meeting of the BRICS DRR Working Group in a virtual format on April 29-30.
According to Pujari, the event, being hosted in Odisha for the first time, has drawn representatives from BRICS member and partner countries. Discussions during the meeting will focus on sustainable disaster risk reduction financing, resilient infrastructure, anticipatory response mechanisms and the integration of traditional knowledge into disaster resilience frameworks.
Officials said the agenda also includes deliberations on community-based disaster risk governance, disaster risk financing, multi-hazard early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, nature-based and indigenous solutions, and the role of science, technology and innovation in disaster risk reduction.
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, BRICS expanded in 2024 with the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, while Indonesia joined the grouping in 2025.
Ahead of the meeting, Chief Minister Majhi described the event as a matter of pride for Odisha and said it reflected growing global recognition of the state’s achievements in disaster preparedness and management.
In a social media post, he said the gathering would provide an opportunity to showcase Odisha’s internationally recognised disaster management model and its commitment to building resilient communities. He also welcomed delegates to Puri, expressing confidence that the meeting would strengthen cooperation among participating nations and advance global disaster resilience efforts.
Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik also welcomed the event, highlighting Odisha’s transformation into a recognised model of disaster management since the devastating 1999 Super Cyclone. He said the state’s emphasis on resilient infrastructure, preparedness and community participation had helped establish its widely acknowledged zero-casualty approach to disaster response.
Extensive security arrangements has been put in place for the event, considering the participation of foreign delegates from multiple countries.
