September 24, 2026, Bridgetown, Barbados, The Caribbean is one of the world's most disaster-prone regions, where tropical cyclones, floods, landslides, earthquakes and other natural hazards continue to place homes, communities and economies at risk. Strengthening the way homes are built before disasters occur can help reduce damage, protect lives and property, and support faster recovery.
Bridgetown, Barbados – August 14, 2026, The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) ended a three-day hybrid validation workshop focused on “Building the Next Level Regional Response Mechanism (RRM)”, with a clear call for the regional response system to become more agile, connected and capable of meeting future demands.
It came from Deputy Executive Director of CDEMA, Lt. Col. Kester Craig who acknowledged that while the RRM has been the backbone of coordinated emergency support, the Caribbean is now faced with more intense hydro-meteorological events, cascading hazards, disruptions to supply chains, and increasingly complex technological and biological threats.
“This workshop is not simply about reviewing documents. We are helping to shape the future architecture of Caribbean disaster response, he told delegates at the opening ceremony held at the Accra Beach Hotel in Bridgetown, Barbados.
“The development of the Next Level RRM has…been identified as a strategic priority for CDEMA under its Strategic Programme 2022–2027. The initiative also aligns with the wider Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy and the goal of strengthening national and regional coordination frameworks,” Lt. Col. Craig added.
The workshop brought together National Disaster Co-ordinators from CDEMA’s 20 Participating States, regional institutions, Development and Technical Partners and other key stakeholders.
Over the three days, participants examined a draft RRM strategic document, logical framework, roadmap for operationalisation and a proposed document for monitoring and evaluation. The validation process also sought to strengthen what works, challenge areas that required improvement, identify gaps and establish a shared direction for the future of the Mechanism.
Discussions also centred around lessons from recent regional activations, national disaster management systems, technical disciplines and partnerships. Participants also considered the evolving requirements for regional response, including coordination, information management, logistics, communications, technology, financing and accountability, alongside traditional response capabilities.
Lt. Col. Craig reminded delegates that the workshop was intended to reinforce the principle that the future strength of the RRM depended on the ability of countries and institutions to work together collectively, if they are to save lives, protect communities and support an affected Participating State when it matters most.
For further information, please contact:
Keith Goddard
Communication and Public Relations Specialist
CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA)
Resilience Way, Lower Estate
St. Michael
BARBADOS
Tel #: (246) 434-4880
Fax #: (246) 271-3660
Email:
Bridgetown, Barbados, August 27, 2026, The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has launched a Caribbean Resilient Recovery Facility (CRRF) Recovery Experts Roster, a regional pool of technical professionals designed to strengthen the capacity of Participating States to manage and implement post-disaster recovery.
The first orientation, conducted on August 26, welcomed 14 experts and forms part of the operationalisation of the Caribbean Resilient Recovery Facility (CRRF), a multi-stakeholder initiative spearheaded by CDEMA and its development partners to bridge the gap between response and early recovery and accelerate post-disaster recovery.
The Recovery Experts Roster also seeks to provide surge support to countries following disasters in areas of expertise including engineering, education, social work, psychology, business development, information technology and healthcare.
In his opening remarks, CDEMA’s Deputy Executive Director Lt. Col. Kester Craig emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in strengthening recovery capacity.
“No single country in our region has all the resources needed to respond to and effectively recover from major disaster impacts,” said Lt. Col. Craig.
He added that the roster will enable CDEMA to match the right expertise to the specific recovery needs of affected countries, ensuring that recovery efforts are coordinated, inclusive and responsive.
The orientation was facilitated by CDEMA’s Disaster Recovery Specialist, Jason Francis and CRRF Research Intern Natalia Extavour, who familiarised the experts with the CRRF operational framework, their roles and responsibilities, and CDEMA’s deployment protocols and standards for humanitarian support.
Francis described the first cohort as an important step in building the regional recovery facility and thanked the experts for their commitment to regional resilience.
“This is the first cohort of experts to join the roster, and we look forward to utilising your skills and expertise as we continue to build out the regional recovery facility,” he said.
The establishment of the Recovery Experts Roster reinforces CDEMA’s commitment to pooling regional resources, strengthening national recovery capacity and advancing resilient recovery across the Caribbean.
For further information, please contact:
Keith A N Goddard
Communications and Public Relations Specialist
CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA)
Suite #3, Building #1, Manor Lodge Complex, Lodge Hill, St. Michael Barbados
Email:
Cell: (246) 266-1976 Fax: (246) 271-3660
