Guyana Launches Road to Caribbean Resilience Ahead of Major Regional Disaster Management Conference

Guyana has officially launched the road to the 14th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM 14), setting the stage for a regional dialogue aimed at strengthening resilience in the face of increasing climate, economic and technological risks across the Caribbean.

The conference, scheduled for December 7 to 12, 2026, in Georgetown, will bring together governments, regional institutions, development partners, academia, civil society, youth leaders and the private sector under the theme, “Road to Resilience Checkpoint 2026: Resilient Sectors, Sustainable Communities, Safer States.”

Speaking at the launch, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips underscored the importance of resilience as a central pillar of governance and development, noting that Caribbean nations continue to face mounting pressures from climate change, economic shocks, public health threats, supply chain disruptions and emerging security risks.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips

“Resilience now sits at the centre of how a country is run and touches various aspects of our economy, infrastructure, security and long-term development,” the Prime Minister said.

He explained that governments must increasingly operate “at the speed of risk,” anticipating threats before they materialize, investing ahead of need, coordinating across borders and acting decisively when crises emerge.

The Prime Minister noted that Guyana’s growing economy and expanding infrastructure make disaster preparedness and risk reduction even more critical, particularly as much of the country’s population and economic activity remains concentrated along the coast.

He highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), including the commissioning of emergency operations facilities, implementation of early warning systems, advancement of disaster risk management legislation, and the development of enhanced emergency response plans to strengthen national preparedness.

The launch also marked the beginning of a broader regional conversation on financing resilience and ensuring Caribbean countries are better equipped to withstand and recover from disasters.

Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Elizabeth Riley, warned that climate-related hazards are becoming more frequent and intense, with devastating consequences for development across the region.

She noted that while headline figures often capture the scale of disaster losses, the deeper impacts are felt through disrupted livelihoods, reduced competitiveness, strained public resources and setbacks to sustainable development.

“Resilience must be understood as a strategic governance, development and economic imperative,” Riley stated.

According to Riley, Caribbean countries must increasingly focus on maximizing available resources, strengthening disaster financing mechanisms and embedding resilience into investment decisions as development financing becomes more constrained.

She emphasized that resilience efforts must remain people-centred, with the ultimate goal being safer communities, protected livelihoods, continuity of essential services and expanded opportunities for future generations.

The conference will also examine the role of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in enhancing decision-making, risk analysis and disaster preparedness across the region.

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission, Colonel (Ret’d) Nazrul Hussain, reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to serving as both host and partner in advancing regional resilience.

He noted that the effects of climate change are no longer projections but lived realities, pointing to increasingly intense rainfall, prolonged droughts, stronger storms, coastal erosion, flooding and rising temperatures as challenges affecting countries throughout the Caribbean.

“As Guyana progresses, we have endeavoured not to measure progress by growth alone, but by our ability to protect our people, safeguard our investments and ensure that the gains of development are not erased by disaster,” he said.

The Director General highlighted Guyana’s investments in early warning systems, emergency preparedness infrastructure, hazard monitoring, climate adaptation frameworks and community resilience programmes, all aimed at ensuring resilience is embedded within national development efforts.

A major focus of CDM 14 will be strengthening collaboration among governments, regional agencies, development partners, the private sector and communities to develop practical solutions that can reduce risk and accelerate recovery.

Organizers described the conference as the Caribbean’s premier resilience platform, where ideas can be transformed into policies, policies into investments and investments into tangible outcomes for communities throughout the region.

The event will feature high-level policy discussions, financing dialogues, professional development sessions, youth engagement initiatives, a resilience village and expo, as well as opportunities for organizations to showcase innovative solutions and forge strategic partnerships.

As Guyana prepares to welcome regional and international delegates later this year, officials say the conference represents more than a gathering of stakeholders. Rather, it serves as a checkpoint for assessing progress, identifying gaps and charting a collective path toward a safer, stronger and more resilient Caribbean.

For Caribbean nations facing increasingly complex and interconnected risks, the message from the launch was clear: resilience is no longer optional. It is a necessity for protecting lives, sustaining development, and securing the region’s future.