MANDALAY’S RESILIENCE CHALLENGE If it can overcome the hazards of floods and earthquakes, this city is poised to become an influential commercial hub.
Agriculture continues to play a major role in Mandalay City. But its increasing significance as a regional commercial hub has raised the profile of this city in Myanmar. Due to its location along the Irrawaddy River, Mandalay City is prone to recurrent floods and is at risk of major earthquakes due to its proximity to the Sagaing Fault. Today, Mandalay has an opportunity to become a model for other cities in the country. By incorporating resilience into its city plan, the city will be poised to better protect the lives and livelihoods of its communities.
Additional Reading
Cities are chosen for the 100 Resilient Cities list based on their ability to brave the changes that come with economic growth, natural disaster and other factors that impact urban areas.
Among the cities included in the 2013 list was Mandalay, along with such diverse candidates as Bangkok, Thailand; Christchurch, New Zealand; Dakar, Senegal; Los Angeles, United States; Quito, Ecuador; and Rome, Italy.
The Rockefeller Foundation’s relationship manager Katya Sienkiewicz took time last week to answer questions from The Myanmar Times Mandalay Bureau Chief Stuart Alan Becker about the 100 Resilient Cities list and how Mandalay fits the criteria for inclusion.
Why was Mandalay chosen to be part of 100 Resilient Cities list?
There is an ineluctable energy around Myanmar, and Mandalay in particular. A captivating ancient kingdom city, and the country’s second-largest, Mandalay is the economic driver of the country, and growing at a rapid clip. The city sent in a compelling application to the 100 Resilient Cities challenge, combining their geographical vulnerabilities situated near highly active tectonic plates as well as the cyclical flooding they face from their position on the Ayeyarwady River.
Flooding frequency is said to be on the rise and Mandalay’s rapid economic development and building expansion into the more flood-prone areas is threatening to increase the impacts of these floods. They have invested in disaster risk reduction, but are looking to prepare more holistically for the natural shocks they are prone to, as well as some of the everyday stresses they are grappling with. From the burgeoning population and increased traffic, and traffic-related accidents, to their increasing need for solid internet/communication infrastructure and upgraded built environment infrastructure, the city has a number of challenges as it continues to burgeon.
With thoughtful, engaged city leadership at the Mandalay City Development Committee, the city is well-poised to think strategically about how to reconcile the sundry new public and private sector initiatives coming into the city. Mandalay is well poised to be the resilience planning champion for the rest of Myanmar and farther afield.
What is the object of this list of cities? Economic growth?
The purpose of 100 Resilient Cities, and our work in cities at large, is to help cities become more resilient to the physical, social and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. For one city, increasing resilience may be tied to economic growth, while for another, increasing resilience may be tied to fostering social cohesion.
Anything about Mandalay that stands out, making it different from other places?
In many ways Mandalay struggles with the same shocks and stresses as other cities in our network, but the energy and optimism of this exciting point in time for this ancient city makes it stand alone. It is transforming into a booming economic powerhouse at the crossroads of China and India, while maintaining its unique cultural heritage, and that makes it an exciting vanguard space to be involved in. We are thrilled to be partnering with Mandalay and look forward to planning to help solve and learn from their resilience challenges with them.