Bridgetown, Barbados, 9th September, 2016 (CDEMA) - September 9th, 2016 marks twenty–five (25) years from the date that the CARICOM Heads of Government, in recognition of the fragile economies and ecosystems of the States within the Caribbean region being extremely vulnerable to natural and man-made hazards, demonstrated the foresight to establish a regional CARICOM Mechanism for emergency response and disaster relief.
The Agency was established in 1991 as CDERA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency) with primary responsibility for the coordination of emergency response and relief efforts to Participating States that require such assistance. It transitioned to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in 2009 to fully embrace the principles and practice of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) and to advance the work of CDERA by ensuring sustainable development of resilient communities within the Caribbean region.
CDEMA’s success is largely due to the solid partnerships with its 18 Participating States, regional institutions, international development partners and donors.
We are indeed grateful to all who have been instrumental in the success of the Agency in changing lives through Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) and we look forward to the continued support in securing, coordinating and providing effective disaster preparedness and response capabilities throughout the region. Let’s continue the journey together!