Densely populated cities need to prioritize safety and security as urbanization rates swell and resources become strained, said Tom Ridge, the first US secretary of homeland security.
“We face a remarkable challenge: if you are responsible for the health, safety, and welfare for such dense populations, where do you get the resources to deal with basic human conditions—health, education, housing—in these communities,” said Ridge, who served in the George W. Bush administration.
Ridge spoke at the Atlantic Council in Washington on June 10 at an event hosted by the Council’s South Asia Center. Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., Atlantic Council chairman, gave opening remarks. Bharath Gopalaswamy, director for the South Asia Center, moderated the discussion with Ridge.
Written in the New Atlanticist Blog. To read more, click here.
Image: From left: Bharath Gopalaswamy, director for the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center, moderated a discussion with Tom Ridge, the first US secretary of homeland security, at the Atlantic Council in Washington on June 9. (Atlantic Council/Victoria Langton)