The University of the West Indies
The Disaster Risk Reduction Centre

DRRC Conversations - Unpacking humanitarian action in the Caribbean: The silent cost of the Regional Response Mechanism

Behind the lifesaving value of the Caribbean response architecture lies a quieter cost: strained national capacities, diverted resources, and fatigue among frontline actors raising
questions about the real costs, resourcing and sustainability of the region’s humanitarian mechanism.

The 5th edition of DRRC Conversations was held on 16 October 2025 under the theme “Unpacking Humanitarian Action in the Caribbean: The Silent Cost of the Regional Response Mechanism”. 

On 13 October 2025, the disaster management fraternity in the Caribbean and globally recognized the UNDRR International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction under the theme Fund Resilience, Not Disasters.  UNDRR noted that disasters are becoming more frequent, more costly, and more devastating. While direct disaster costs have grown to approximately $202 billion annually, the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 estimated that the true cost, is 11 times higher at nearly $2.3 trillion. Despite this, disaster risk reduction investments in national budgets and international assistance remained far too low.  The 2025 theme made a clarion call to “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters”…that is funding resilience now to avoid paying for disasters later.

Several panel discussions and webinars were held echoing the call for a more systematic, sustainable and evidence-based approach to disaster risk reduction and resilience financing. But what does funding resilience mean for the Caribbean? 

The October 2025 edition of DRRC Conversations can be considered as embryonic. It started with a focus on the RRM, its cost centres and how they are defined and resourced. The focus was to reflect on what we are counting and from where.

Speakers: 

  • Elizabeth Riley (CDEMA)
  • Danielle Coleman (HMCI Cayman Islands)
  • Michelle Forbes (NEMO St Vincent and the Grenadines)
  • Atlee Rodney (Regional Security System)

Key messages from the speakers can be accessed here