Minister Plenipotentiary Gracita Arrindell (right) holds up the agreement.
ORANJESTAD--St. Maarten, represented by Minister Plenipotentiary Gracita Arrindell, has signed the StormWatch Initiative on Disaster Risk Management, a three-million-euro regional project aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness and response across Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).
The signing took place during the 21st European Union (EU)-OCT Forum in Aruba, where Arrindell signed on behalf of all Caribbean OCTs in St. Maarten’s capacity as Regional Authorizing Officer of the Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity RESEMBID Programme.
The StormWatch Initiative is designed to enhance disaster preparedness, coordination, and response mechanisms across the region, reflecting a shared commitment between Caribbean OCTs and the European Union to address increasing risks linked to climate change and extreme weather events.
For St. Maarten and the wider region, strengthening disaster risk management remains critical, particularly as hurricanes and other natural hazards continue to increase in frequency and intensity.
The initiative will focus on improving early warning systems and promoting stronger collaboration among OCTs to ensure a more coordinated and effective regional response to disasters.
St. Maarten reiterated its commitment to advancing regional resilience and sustainable development, noting that collective action is essential to safeguarding Caribbean communities. Disaster management continues to be a top priority for the country as it works to strengthen its preparedness and response capacity.
