The European Union and the International Organization for Migration’s Caribbean office (IOM Caribbean) have established a strategic emergency stockpile in Barbados, marking a significant advancement in regional disaster preparedness. This initiative, valued at approximately €340,000, addresses the critical need for rapid humanitarian response when hurricanes devastate Caribbean nations.
The repository contains essential relief materials specifically identified as priority needs for vulnerable populations affected by disasters. The inventory includes heavy-duty tarpaulin sheets, comprehensive shelter repair kits, family tents, hygiene kits, multipurpose communal tents, and mosquito nets. These supplies are strategically positioned to provide immediate assistance to up to 1,000 families through IOM and partner organizations following major emergencies.
Housed at the Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub operated by the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) with logistical support from the UN’s World Food Programme, this Barbados stockpile complements existing IOM and EU reserves in Panama. This multi-location strategy ensures life-saving support can be deployed immediately after disasters strike, overcoming the logistical challenges that have hampered previous response efforts.
The initiative draws from hard-learned lessons during recent catastrophic hurricanes. Patrice Quesada, IOM Caribbean Coordinator, highlighted the proven effectiveness of pre-positioned supplies: ‘In 2024 and 2025, our ability to quickly mobilize stocks pre-positioned in Barbados enabled rapid assistance to St Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, and Jamaica following Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa.’
Daniela d’Urso, head of EU Humanitarian relief in the Caribbean, emphasized the non-seasonal nature of preparedness: ‘This stockpile allows the EU to boost regional response capacity and deliver timely assistance where it’s needed most, as we have just witnessed with Hurricane Melissa where anticipation and timing of response were key.’
Concurrently, through the ‘Resilient Caribbean’ project, the EU is supporting the development and training of a network of regional partners to ensure efficient management of relief items. This comprehensive approach includes the establishment of the Caribbean Shelter Sectoral Working Group by CDEMA and IOM, which promotes information sharing, resource pooling, and collaboration among agencies, NGOs, and civil society groups, ultimately strengthening local capacity and community resilience across the region.