Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has extended congratulations to CDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency) on its 25th Anniversary being observed today.
CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. CREDITS: CARICOM	“The Community appreciates your contribution to its well-being over the past 25 years,” the Secretary-General said.

On 9 September, 25 years ago, CARICOM Heads of Government, established a regional CARICOM Mechanism for emergency response and disaster relief. This move was in recognition of the fragile economies and ecosystems of the States within the Caribbean region being extremely vulnerable 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,” the organisation said in a statement.