China: Technology for resilience along the Belt and Road
Today the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched in Beijing an initiative to enhance disaster reduction and response capacity for countries along the Belt and Road. This initiative, led by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) with technical guidance from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), is a concrete follow up to the Memorandum of Understanding and the Action Plan signed between UNDP and the Government of China to integrate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The project, entitled ‘Technology for Resilience - Belt and Road Initiative Capacity Building Project,’ aims to provide better tech-based solutions for disaster risk information as part of the early warning system, as well as the accuracy of post-disaster damage assessments to enhance countries’ disaster preparedness and response capacities.
“This project, as one of UNDP’s pilot BRI projects, is expected to bring innovative development solutions to jointly tackle challenges in disaster reduction efforts,” said Agi Veres, Country Director of UNDP China. The project can potentially be “highlighted as an early successful demonstration for the 2019 Belt and Road Forum,” she added.
“Such cooperation will bring tangible benefits to countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, and therefore is worthy of further scaling up and promotion,” said Zhang Qin, Director of the Division of International Organizations of the Department of International Cooperation of NDRC.
ASEAN countries will be the initial focus of the project, announced by Chen Linhao, Deputy Director General, Department of International Cooperation of MOST during the launch. While Cambodia has been identified as the first pilot country, the project will be further scaled up to other countries along the Belt and Road.
“Such cooperation will bring tangible benefits to countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, and therefore is worthy of further scaling up and promotion,” said Zhang Qin, Director of the Division of International Organizations of the Department of International Cooperation of NDRC.
Liao Dinghai, President of Hi-Target Surveying Instrument Co. Ltd, a leading remote sensing solution provider in China and a key implementation partner of this project, emphasized the immense potential of technology in strengthening disaster resilience.
Through application analysis, policy recommendations, knowledge sharing and capacity building activities, the project will explore the application of remote sensing, geographic information systems and satellite navigation technology to strengthen the resilience of countries’ urban and rural communities.
Recognizing the vast potential of the Belt and Road Initiative as an accelerator to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNDP has been committed to promoting sustainable development along the Belt and Road countries since 2016. The project aims to facilitate the implementation of sustainable cities and communities, contribute to the building of resilient infrastructure, and foster greater coherence of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation efforts.