Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation Kiz Johnson has highlighted Antigua and Barbuda's achievements under a European Union-funded disaster resilience programme, pointing to completed flood mitigation works, a new community disaster command centre, and plans to establish the country as a regional search and rescue training hub.
Johnson delivered opening remarks Thursday at the 7th Programme Steering Committee Meeting of the Building Resilience of the CARIFORUM States to Disaster Risks and Climate Change Impacts (BRICS) Programme. The meeting was held in Antigua under the 11th European Development Fund Caribbean Regional Indicative Programme.
She cited a 2020 flooding event as a direct illustration of the programme's impact on the ground. "In one area alone, a whopping 200 households were affected by excessive rainfall, which resulted in flooding drains and homes," Johnson said.
Funding secured through the BRICS Programme was used to expand a bridge in the affected community, significantly reducing flood risk to residents. Johnson also noted that the island now has its first community-level disaster command centre, which she said has improved coordination and communication at the local level. The government has advanced plans to replicate that initiative across the island.
Looking ahead, Johnson outlined proposals that would position Antigua and Barbuda as an anchor for sub-regional disaster preparedness. Work is moving forward on a multi-purpose shelter facility, a sub-regional warehouse, and a high-angle rescue tower training facility. "We are excited about that," she said, noting that Antigua and Barbuda serves as the focal point for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) sub-region under the programme.
Johnson connected the programme's continued relevance to the pattern of intensifying natural hazards affecting Caribbean communities, and underscored the government's commitment to working alongside the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.
"We continue to work closely with CDEMA as it cements partnerships with various organisations for the benefit of its members and to continue building resilience throughout our entire region," the minister said.
