The European Union, UNDP, and UNDRR have launched a four-year initiative under the EU-Caribbean-Resilient Programme (EU‑CA-RES), supported by a €4 million EU grant, aimed at strengthening Caribbean resilience against climate and crisis shocks. The project will assist governments, communities, and the private sector in preparing for and recovering from disasters. UNDP, UNDRR, UNICEF, and WFP are key implementing partners, providing solutions to enhance disaster preparedness and recovery while promoting private sector engagement.
A core component led by UNDRR will strengthen Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) in Belize, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Suriname. These systems aim to alert communities before disasters occur, enabling timely preparation. The initiative emphasizes inclusivity, ensuring women, persons with disabilities, and remote populations benefit, while engaging the private sector to expand system reach and foster collaborative resilience-building across the region.
UNDP’s component will focus on improving post-disaster recovery planning in Belize, Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Governments will receive support to review policies, institutional frameworks, and financial capacities, alongside training for officials in data-driven recovery decision-making. The initiative will help countries conduct Post-Disaster Needs Assessments (PDNAs) using digital and participatory tools to understand long-term macroeconomic impacts and expedite aid to affected populations.
Local communities and leaders in Belize, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will also receive targeted training, including disaster-resilient construction methods, to restore livelihoods and improve preparedness. The Caribbean faces overlapping hazards—hurricanes, floods, droughts, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes—which compound social and economic stresses such as COVID-19 impacts and forced migration, affecting public health, food security, and infrastructure.
EU‑CA-RES prioritizes inclusivity, with a strong focus on gender, disability, and youth empowerment to ensure vulnerable groups have a voice in resilience-building. Peer-to-peer exchanges among Caribbean countries will facilitate the sharing of lessons learned and best practices. The program will work closely with national authorities and regional stakeholders, including the Caribbean Development Bank, Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, OECS, CDEMA, CARICHAM, IMPACS, and the Regional Security System.
Shoko Noda, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Crisis Bureau Director, highlighted that the Caribbean is on the frontlines of climate change and disaster risk, with threats undermining livelihoods and development. She emphasized that the partnership with the EU, UNDRR, UNICEF, WFP, and regional organizations will help communities prepare better, recover stronger, and thrive despite growing challenges. Kamal Kishore, Head of UNDRR, added that enhancing early warning systems and fostering broad collaboration will empower communities, particularly the most vulnerable, to build lasting resilience against future shocks.
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