BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has launched a US$4.5-million initiative aimed at helping countries reduce disaster risks as well as absorb and recover from hazard impacts and climate variability.

The “Caribbean Climate Resilience Initiative” is being undertaken in partnership with the United States Government.

Last December, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the availability of funding to improve disaster resilience in the Caribbean region as part of the Caribbean Resilience Partnership with the region.

CDEMA said the launch of the Caribbean Climate Resilience Initiative marks the fulfilment of this promise and will serve as a key part of USAID’s strategy to help countries in the region prosper despite the multitude of hazards they face.

It said that the initiative will be implemented by CDEMA across the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. It will strengthen operational systems at the country level as well as regionally, improve information and communications technology infrastructure for resilience programming and enhance mechanisms and systems at the community level to build resilience to climate-related hazards.

“The United States Government is committed to working with strong partners to bolster disaster preparedness, response and resilience in the Caribbean. Today we formalise our commitment to working with an outstanding regional institution,” said US ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Linda Taglialatela.

CDEMA’s acting Executive Director Elizabeth Riley said the CDEMA Coordinating Unit is pleased to partner with USAID in the implementation of the Caribbean Climate Resilience Initiative.

“CDEMA’s programming is about benefiting people and this programme will extend our reach to the most vulnerable in our communities and positively change lives,” she added.

Under the US-Caribbean 2020 Strategy for Engagement and the US-Caribbean Resilience Partnership, the United States remains committed to partnering with the people of the Caribbean to ensure that they are better able to prepare for, recover from, and build resilience to natural disasters.