UK provides standby relief funds for hurricane-prone Caribbean, EU fills some US forecasting gaps

Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 17:58 by Writer

As the Caribbean prepares for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, the United Kingdom (UK) on Wednesday inked an accord with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) pledging grant funding for hurricane relief efforts.

UK High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Simon Mustard, said the agreement puts US$375,000 on standby for any hurricane-affected member states of CDEMA.

Mr Mustard said CDEMA already has $50,000 upfront to allow for a quick response.

“As in the past, we commit to respond to any CDEMA request within 24 hours regarding the availability of funds, recognising the critical importance of timely and humanitarian action,” he said.

CDEMA’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Riley, stated that, in light of the United States’ funding cuts to several agencies, including those from United Nations (UN) agencies that serve the Caribbean, the region has successfully lobbied the European Union (EU) to assist with early warning forecasts.

“We are grateful to the European Union, which has extended access to significant forecasting, predicting as well as modeling products and satellite products from the EU scientific organisations and we have a high level of confidence that we are in a position to ensure that the early alerting and the forecast and prediction related to early warning will be in place for 2025,” she said.

Ms Riley said despite the Trump administration’s budget cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States administration had pledged to continue operating hurricane hunter aircraft for forecasting.

CDEMA also signed transportation and logistics memoranda of understanding with Kestrel Shipping and Sunrise Airways.

“They expand the logistical reach of the regional response mechanism and reflect the collective commitment to safeguarding lives and livelihoods across the participating States,” Ms Riley said.

There are 17 named storms for the “above average” 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Nine of them are expected to become hurricanes of which four are likely to become major hurricanes.

The 2024 hurricane season left in its wake US$1.5 billion in damage and 18 deaths.