Centre signs headquarters agreement with CDRI, enables international status

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Government of India (GoI) signed a headquarters agreement on Monday in New Delhi.

The agreement will enable the status of an 'Independent and International Legal Entity' for CDRI.

The agreement was signed by Amit Prothi, Director General, CDRI and Noor Rahman Sheikh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, and will enable the institution to pursue functions internationally with all rights, immunities, and privileges, as per the United Nations (Privileges & Immunities) Act, 1947.

Addressing the event, PK Mishra, Principal Secretary, Prime Minister's Office, Government of India and CDRI Governing Council Co-chair said, "It is a landmark moment for CDRI, to be recognized as an independent international organization, with a Charter endorsed by 31 countries and eight international organisations in less than two years. This will further enable the organization to fulfill its commitments and engagements on the resilience of infrastructure as envisioned by the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi."

While talking to ANI, Amit Prothi, DG CRDI said, "India established CDRI two years ago. We have 31 member countries we have eight members organisations who all are interested to develop something called disaster infrastructure. Now, globally there are lots of infrastructures that are being built. India is building lots of infrastructures. Other countries also should get the idea that how we make sure that infrastructure is resilient, and protected and continue to function during major events like an earthquake, cyclone or other disasters."

"Disaster happens when this infrastructure fails. We are looking at how we make sure that these crucial infrastructures continue to function even during an event such as an earthquake and cyclone. CDR is going to take leadership in this role. We have already been doing some interesting things for the last two years. We have now scaled up with support member countries. In the coming years, we make a big dent in the global stage on disaster infrastructure," said the DG CRDI.

"The headquarters agreement basically gives CDRI a global organisation. As an international organisation, the intention is that how the world looks at CDRI. It's not just a Government of India organisation, it is actually supported and led by the Government of India but as an international organisation so it gets recognition from other governments. The intention is to do something on a global stage. It's not something only to benefit India is to benefit India and member countries so that we can do a program not only in India but also globally," he added.

Member secretary Kamal Kishor said, "Today's program was very important because it will give CDRI the status of an international organization, due to which it will help in increasing the international work of CDRI. This will also facilitate the experts of CDRI member countries to come to Delhi to do CDRI-related work. Staff members who want to work in other countries will also get help regarding the procedure issues such as visa etc. The Government of India gives this status to all international institutions, as are the institutions of the United Nations, so now CDRI will be considered at the same international level."

"See, when Modi ji announced in 2019, after this the first Governing Council meeting was held in March 2020, then there were only 18 members. Today the number of those members is more than double which has 31 nations and 8 international organizations. By getting international status, it will be convenient to go to those countries and work at the grassroots level. People will also come here and become a part of CDRI and in the next two years the number of members will increase and we will go to every corner of the world. Still, the membership of CDRI is quite impressive. It has also developed countries such as there are countries like Mongolia Bhutan Nepal, and there are also economies like India and Turkey. After getting international status, our expectation is that the number will increase even more.

CDRI was launched by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York on 23 September 2019, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development.

CDRI promotes rapid development of resilient infrastructure to respond to the Sustainable Development Goals' imperatives of expanding universal access to basic services, enabling prosperity and decent work.