Antigua and Barbuda Joins Landmark Shelter Working Group to Strengthen Disaster Preparedness

Antigua and Barbuda has taken a leading role in shaping how the Caribbean responds to disasters, with local disaster officials now active members of the region’s first-ever Shelter Technical Working Group.

The new platform, coordinated by the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is designed to transform how shelters are managed, resourced, and operated across the region.

It comes at a critical time, with the Atlantic Hurricane Season at its peak and Antigua and Barbuda among the islands most exposed to storms and climate impacts.

Officials from the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) are representing Antigua and Barbuda in weekly meetings alongside disaster professionals from across the Caribbean. Their participation ensures that the unique needs of the twin-island state, ranging from coastal vulnerability to the protection of small rural communities are fully reflected in the regional agenda.

Antigua and Barbuda’s long history of responding to hurricanes and tropical storms has made it a key voice in discussions on safer and more inclusive shelter design, rapid mobilization of relief supplies tailored to island needs, and community engagement so that local groups are directly involved in decision-making during shelter operations.

Through this initiative, Antigua and Barbuda also stands to benefit from pre-positioned relief supplies already stored at CDEMA’s Logistics Hub in Barbados. These include tents, solar lamps, toolkits, plastic sheeting, and hygiene kits—resources that can be quickly dispatched to Antigua should a storm strike.

CDEMA’s Community Resilience Specialist, Tamara Lovell, said the effort is about building a shelter management community for the Caribbean and emphasized that Antigua and Barbuda’s experiences are invaluable in shaping how the region moves forward together.

The working group has also launched a WhatsApp network and a new online platform to share training, technical advice, and emergency updates. Upcoming sessions will focus on issues such as gender-based violence prevention, cash support for displaced families, and sustainable housing solutions. The initiative is supported by IOM under the RESILIENT CARIBBEAN Project, funded by the European Union.

IOM’s Caribbean Emergency Coordinator, Jan-Willem Wegdam, said Antigua and Barbuda’s engagement is vital, noting that the country has faced the realities of climate disasters first-hand and that its contributions will help design safer, stronger shelter systems for the whole region.

By joining this initiative, Antigua and Barbuda is not only contributing to a stronger Caribbean-wide response but also reinforcing its own preparedness. With stronger partnerships, access to resources, and a louder voice in regional planning, the country is better positioned to protect its people in the face of ever-intensifying storms.