KINGSTON, Jamaica – The World Bank Group has announced that a comprehensive support package is being activated for Jamaica, following the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

In a statement released yesterday, the Group confirmed it is working closely with the Government of Jamaica and international partners, including the Inter-American Development Bank, to conduct a rapid post-disaster damage assessment. This assessment is considered critical for guiding the immediate relief and recovery efforts currently underway across the island.

The statement highlighted that Jamaica’s own advanced disaster risk financing systems, regarded as some of the most comprehensive in the Caribbean, will form a crucial foundation for the response. This pre-existing framework is expected to facilitate a swifter and more coordinated effort.

The assistance package is multi-faceted, designed to address both public and private sector needs. It combines several financial instruments, notably quick-disbursing emergency funds and the likely payout from a World Bank-issued catastrophe bond—a form of insurance that triggers automatically following a defined natural disaster.

Additionally, the World Bank plans to redeploy funds from existing projects in the country. Targeted support for private businesses will be provided through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Group’s private sector arm.

Beyond financial aid, the World Bank has stated that its teams are prepared to offer technical advice and implementation support. The overarching goal, according to the statement, is to ensure that reconstruction efforts not only restore damaged infrastructure but also contribute to greater long-term resilience and sustainable growth for the nation.

As clean-up operations continue, this coordinated international effort aims to bolster Jamaica’s path to recovery.