PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad– The role of the private sector in enabling Eastern Caribbean countries to resist, endure and recover from the effects of hazard impacts in a timely and efficient manner is the focus of a sub-regional conference which gets underway here on Thursday.
The one-day “Business and Community Resilience Co-creation” event is being organized by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (CARICHAM), and CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO).
The organizers said one of the primary outcomes is to improve and innovate the established framework for the engagement of private sector entities and develop unique sector-based solutions for community resilience.
They said the particular focus would be on integrating the private sector into existing mechanisms such as CDEMA’s Regional Response Mechanism and extending disaster management capacity to employees and their families to impact the communities.
The conference, which comes ahead of the start of the 2022 hurricane season on June 1, is in recognition that as one of the most disaster-prone regions, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Eastern Caribbean face several natural and climate-induced hazards such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanoes. These all pose a significant threat to the populace, environment, infrastructure, and economies in the Caribbean.
The hybrid event is expected to attract over 100 participants both in person at the Radisson Hotel and online and will feature plenary, interactive sessions, and keynote speakers. The event will consist of a high-level discussion around private sector engagement in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
Participants cover all countries in the Eastern Caribbean and include:
- Business leaders.
- Youth.
- National emergency response agencies.
- Government ministries and departments.
- International humanitarian players.
- Development agencies.
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