THE 2ND TECHNICAL MEETING OF THE BRICS DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (DRR) WORKING GROUP UNDERWAY IN INDIA
By Communications on June 04, 2026
📍 TAJ PURI RESORT, PURI, ODISHA – INDIA
The head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), Dr Elias Sithole is leading a South African delegation attending the Second Technical Meeting of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Working Group which is currently underway in Puri, Odisha, India, under India’s 2026 BRICS Presidency.
The Technical Meeting is held under the theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
The meeting has brought together delegates, policymakers, disaster management experts, knowledge partners, and other stakeholders from the 11 BRICS member and partner countries to strengthen cooperation in disaster risk reduction and resilience-building initiatives.
Taking place from 3 to 5 June 2026, the Technical Meeting seeks to facilitate the exchange of best practices and enhance collaboration among BRICS nations in disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.
Discussions over the three-day programme are focused on several strategic areas, including sustainable disaster risk financing, resilient infrastructure, anticipatory response mechanisms, community-based early warning systems, and the integration of indigenous and traditional knowledge into modern disaster management practices.
Day One of the meeting featured six side events aligned with the BRICS 2026 theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” These sessions provided a valuable platform for participants to deliberate on key priority areas such as Governance and Community-Based DRR, DRR Financing, Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Risk Intelligence, Resilient and Climate-Smart Infrastructure, Nature-Based and Indigenous Solutions, as well as Science, Technology and Innovation.
Member States were invited to share their national experiences, best practices, lessons learnt, and ongoing initiatives related to these priority areas. Delegates also participated in panel discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation and identifying innovative approaches to disaster risk reduction across BRICS countries.
The South African delegation is participating physically in the meeting and has actively contributed to all side events, presenting South Africa’s experiences and perspectives on disaster risk reduction while also taking part in several panel discussions.
The Technical Meeting will continue until 5 June 2026, with further engagements expected to advance cooperation and knowledge-sharing among BRICS nations in building safer, more resilient communities.
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