BRIDGETOWN – Today marks twenty–five years from the date that CARICOM Heads of Government established a regional CARICOM Mechanism for emergency response and disaster relief in recognition of the fragile economies and ecosystems, as well as their vulnerability to natural and man-made hazards.
The regional Agency was first 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.
Over the 25 years, the CDEMA System has learned, adjusted, improved and retooled to meet the demands of each stage of the journey. The disaster events of the last decade and the climate threats facing the Region today and in the future are a testament to the foresight of the Region’s Leaders back in 1991.
It further underscores the relevance and mandate of CDEMA as an institution equipped with the experience and knowledge to offer solutions to the current climate change dilemma.
To this end, CDEMA has been advancing a Regional CDM Strategy, which serves as a road map for delivering effective disaster risk reduction and resilience programmes at the national and regional levels.
It has demonstrated growing capabilities over these 25 years by encouraging the strengthening of national preparedness and operational capacities as well as coordinating regional response mechanisms to aid in the relief and response efforts to affected States.
CDEMA also maintains its primary function, which is the coordination of response support to Participating States affected by an emergency event, once the State requests such assistance, through the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM).
The RRM is based on the collaboration and cooperation of CDEMA and a number of key regional organizations bound by a collection of Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding and Protocols for the provision of assistance to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) States.
Similarly, in efforts to fulfil its mandate as ‘a clearing house for relevant information and intelligence on all matters relating to disasters’, since 2015, the Agency initiated the development of the Caribbean Risk Information System (CRIS).
The CRIS provides global access to disaster risk management and climate change adaptation data as well as serve as an information hub towards engendering a better understanding of disaster risks and the effects of climate change on regional development.
In recognition of this very important milestone a series of activities has been planned during this year. These activities will be both national and regional in nature and will include efforts to strengthen awareness at the national, regional and international level of the advancements made in disaster risk management in the region and of the role of Comprehensive Disaster Management in the efforts to achieve sustainable development in the Caribbean.
CDEMA’s success is largely due to the solid partnerships with its 18 Participating States, regional institutions, international development partners and donors. We are grateful to all who have been instrumental in the success of the Agency in changing lives through Comprehensive Disaster Management in the region. Let’s continue the journey together! (PR/SAT)