Antigua and Barbuda is stepping up preparations to host Exercise Tradewinds 2026, a large-scale regional security and disaster response drill that will play a central role in ensuring the nation’s readiness for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026.

According to official planning documents, the exercise will serve multiple objectives: strengthening regional peace and security, testing disaster response capabilities, and enhancing interoperability among local, regional, and international forces.

The government has highlighted that Exercise Tradewinds will help sharpen the capabilities of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF), police, emergency services, and other key agencies. Focus areas include Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Maritime and urban search-and-rescue operations, Mass casualty response and medical preparedness, Cybersecurity and Air and seaport security enforcement.

The exercise is also designed to “stress-test” response mechanisms for maritime threats, including oil spills, migrant interdiction, and risks to the blue economy.

The United States Southern Command is playing a key coordinating role, working alongside regional organizations and international partners. Their objectives include boosting crisis-response capacity across the Caribbean, improving interagency integration, and countering malign influences in the region.

Tradewinds 2026 will bring together national security agencies, government ministries, regional bodies, and international partners under a unified command structure coordinated by Antigua and Barbuda’s National Joint Operations Center (NJOC)

Agencies are required to engage in extensive pre-exercise planning and briefings, mandatory personnel training, and equipment readiness checks to ensure seamless operations. Emphasis is being placed on cross-agency interoperability, secure information sharing, and the use of standardized communication channels.

Following the exercise, there will be a comprehensive evaluation to assess performance, identify lessons learned, and refine future procedures.

The aim is not only to prepare Antigua and Barbuda for CHOGM 2026 but also to leave a lasting legacy of improved coordination, resilience, and security readiness across the region.