Antigua and Barbuda Launches US$12.3 Million National Initiative to Boost Disaster Preparedness with Early Warnings for All
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), today officially launched a comprehensive five-year project to overhaul the nation’s disaster preparedness and weather forecasting capabilities. The National Inception Workshop, held at the Trade Winds Hotel, marks the start of the ‘Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) – Antigua and Barbuda’ Project, funded by a US$12.3 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The workshop brought together senior government officials, disaster management experts, and representatives from several United Nations agencies. The gathering served to synchronize the technical roadmaps and legal frameworks required to ensure every resident, regardless of their location or physical ability, receives and can act upon life-saving information before disaster strikes.
In her keynote address, Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, the Hon. Kiz Johnson, emphasized that the project is designed to reach the most isolated corners of the twin-island state. “We are here to ensure that information lives and breathes at the last mile,” Minister Johnson stated. “Whether it is a fisherman in Barbuda or a family in a remote rural community, this system must reach them in a language they understand and through channels they trust.”
Antigua and Barbuda currently ranks fifth on the World Risk Index, a position that underscores the necessity of moving beyond reactive disaster response. The EW4ALL project addresses this by modernizing the national Disaster Management Act and upgrading the monitoring equipment and infrastructure of the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service (ABMS). The project is part of a wider UNDP-led programme advancing Early Warnings for All across seven climate-vulnerable countries, backed by a US$103 million investment from the Green Climate Fund.
Kristin Lang, the Green Climate Fund’s Regional Director of Latin America and the Caribbean said, “Across the Caribbean, communities are facing stronger hurricanes, flash floods and prolonged drought. Early warning systems are therefore essential for protecting lives, livelihoods, and development gains. Through the Early Warnings for All project, the Green Climate Fund will help to strengthen the institutions and information systems needed so people can anticipate climate risks and respond before disaster strikes. This is the kind of country-driven, practical resilience-building that the Caribbean needs as climate impacts intensify.”
A key feature of the initiative is the deep collaboration between the UN pillar lead agencies for Early Warnings for All – including the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Stephanie ZiebelI, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, noted during the workshop opening ceremony that the project represents a significant shift in how international partners and local agencies deliver climate resilience. “By bridging the specialized expertise of our sister agencies with the local knowledge of national stakeholders, we are building a proactive shield for these islands,” Ms. ZiebelI said. In Antigua and Barbuda, UNDP will work closely with the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) to implement the EW4ALL project.
The first day of the workshop focused on the technical baseline for forecasting improvements, including specialized monitoring for flash floods and storm surges. On the second day, the delegation will conduct site visits to Community Emergency Response Units (CERUs) and the Crabbs Search and Rescue Training Area to observe firsthand how technical data is translated into community-level action. The event will conclude with the first meeting of the Project Board to review the initial year of implementation.
As climate patterns grow more unpredictable, the EW4ALL project stands as a national priority to safeguard livelihoods and ensure that no citizen is left behind when a hazard approaches the horizon.
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org/barbados or follow at @UNDPBarbadosEC.
About NODS
The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) is a government agency established in 1984 to coordinate disaster management efforts in Antigua and Barbuda.
About the Green Climate Fund
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world’s largest dedicated climate fund. GCF’s mandate is to foster a paradigm shift towards low emission, climate-resilient development pathways in developing countries. GCF has a portfolio of 286 projects worth USD 15.9 billion (USD 61.3 billion including co-financing) delivering transformative climate action in 133 developing countries. GCF is an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and serves the 2015 Paris Agreement, supporting the goal of keeping average global temperature rise well below 2°C.