Against a backdrop of escalating climate risks that disproportionately threaten low-lying island nations, a new regional support initiative has officially opened its doors to help Eastern Caribbean governments turn climate adaptation commitments into tangible infrastructure progress. The Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Implementation and Skills Exchange (RIISE) Facility is now available to governments of Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, providing targeted technical support to cut through implementation bottlenecks and speed up the delivery of climate-resilient public infrastructure projects.
Funded by the Government of Canada and hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), RIISE operates from a regional secretariat based in Barbados. The initiative is governed by its participating Caribbean countries, with independent technical guidance provided by a panel of regional and international experts.
Her Excellency Brenda Wills, Canada’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, emphasized the critical role that resilient infrastructure plays in fostering long-term development across the region. “Resilient infrastructure is essential to economic development, climate adaptation, and the well-being of Caribbean communities,” Wills stated. “Canada is pleased to support RIISE as a regionally led facility that will help governments access the expertise and support needed to deliver priority infrastructure investments. By helping address implementation challenges and strengthening countries’ ability to move projects forward, RIISE has the potential to accelerate resilient infrastructure delivery and generate lasting benefits for Caribbean communities.”
RIISE fills a critical gap for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Eastern Caribbean, where complex climate infrastructure projects often outpace the in-house technical capacity available to local government teams. Unlike existing funding and pre-construction preparation mechanisms, RIISE focuses specifically on providing on-demand, hands-on support during the implementation phase, helping bridge gaps to move projects from planning to completion.
The facility supports a broad portfolio of climate-resilient infrastructure categories, including water and sanitation systems, transportation networks, renewable energy infrastructure, coastal protection barriers, public buildings, post-disaster recovery projects, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and affordable housing. Participating governments can access support through two tailored modalities: short-term technical advisory consultations to resolve specific project challenges, and temporary deployment of specialist personnel to reinforce local project teams. Support is delivered through a flexible mix of remote and in-country engagement, customized to the unique needs of each assignment.
Across these two service types, RIISE connects government teams with expertise across a wide range of critical infrastructure disciplines, including project management, public procurement, contract administration, engineering technical reviews, and financial management. The facility also prioritizes inclusive and sustainable delivery, offering specialized support for environmental and social safeguards, climate resilience planning, gender equality, social inclusion, stakeholder engagement, communications, project monitoring and reporting, and risk management.
For government entities seeking RIISE support, the application process is streamlined through national focal points in each of the four participating countries. Ministries and public institutions submit requests through their designated focal point, who completes an online request form detailing the project, specific implementation challenge, and desired outcomes. The RIISE secretariat then reviews eligibility for support and collaborates with the requesting institution to define the scope of assistance and match the required expertise. More information and guidance on the application process is available on the official RIISE website at riise-caribbean.org, or via email at info@riise-caribbean.org.
Giuseppe Mancinelli, UNOPS Caribbean Director, framed the launch of RIISE as a milestone for regional climate action. “Today marks an important moment for the Caribbean,” Mancinelli said. “UNOPS is proud to provide the operational backbone for this Caribbean-led initiative. Governments across the region have set a bold vision for more resilient infrastructure; our role is to help turn that ambition into results by providing national institutions with the additional capacity, expertise and implementation support they need to deliver for their people.”
Beyond its immediate goal of speeding up existing infrastructure projects, RIISE has a longer-term mandate to build and retain technical expertise within the Caribbean. As the facility matures, it will create opportunities for visiting international specialists to mentor local public sector teams, and facilitate cross-national knowledge sharing between participating governments. This capacity building component is designed to empower local teams to lead future infrastructure initiatives independently.
RIISE was officially launched on 14 September during a side event at the Caribbean Infrastructure Forum (CARIF) held in Miami. Attendees at the launch included senior government representatives from each of the four participating nations: Honourable Shawn Edward, Minister of Infrastructure, Ports Services, and Energy of St Lucia; Honourable Andrew John, Minister of Housing, Land Management, Urban Development, and Informal Settlement Upgrading of St Vincent and the Grenadines; Honourable Dr Irving McIntyre, Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Climate Resilience and Social Security of Dominica; and Alva Browne, Permanent Secretary in Grenada’s Ministry of Infrastructure. Also in attendance were High Commissioner Brenda Wills and representatives from international financial institutions, multilateral organizations, and global infrastructure development partners.
While RIISE’s initial focus is on the four Eastern Caribbean countries, the initiative is structured to allow for gradual expansion across the region in the future, contingent on expressed government needs and the mobilization of additional partnerships and funding.