Government representatives, disaster management professionals, regional and international partners, educators, students, and community stakeholders gathered to mark Barbuda’s completion of the indicators for the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP). Barbuda’s recognition follows that of the Member State’s capital city community of St John’s recognized in 2020 under a IOC led DIPECHO funded project.
The Honourable Kiz Johnson, Minister of State in the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, the Honorable Trevor Walker, Member of Parliament for Barbuda, Mr. Sherrod James, Director of the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), and Mr. Jacob Ngumbah, IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS) Working Group 4 Chair delivered remarks which emphasized their commitment to the TRRP through the over-arching framework of the IOC-led UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and the national policies that prioritized its implementation across additional at-risk communities.
Mr. Ngumbah reported on experiences across IOC Member States and territories which demonstrated that the TRRP strengthens preparedness for multiple hazards. Its community-focused approach he added supports the broader goals of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Early Warnings for All initiative, and regional multi-hazard early warning systems including the Comprehensive Disaster Management framework led by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. He further reflected that resilience is a lived experience for Barbuda, noting the severe devastation brought by Category 5 Hurricane Irma in September 2017, and the significance of the recognition which further validates Barbuda’s pledge to safeguarding lives and livelihoods.
During her brief address, Mrs. Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Manager, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) International Tsunami Information Center – Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR) offered an overview of the Tsunami Ready Program, situating Barbuda’s achievement within the broader Caribbean effort to strengthen tsunami early warning, evacuation planning, and community resilience. Highlighting the regional collaboration underpinning tsunami preparedness throughout the Caribbean, Christa recognised ITIC-CAR’s provision of lead technical implementation support to the nomination process and acknowledged the U.S. Department of State funding in supporting activities, materials, and local facilitators.
Rolston Nikeo, National Safe Schools Focal Point, also participated in the program noting that a major highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of a Barbuda Tsunami-Ready awareness video featuring students and scenes from across the island. The involvement of schools and the youth underscored the importance of engaging schools and students to build a lasting culture of disaster preparedness.
The TRRP requires communities to meet twelve established indicators including tsunami hazard assessment, evacuation planning and mapping, display of public signage, warning reception and dissemination, emergency response planning, public education, and preparedness exercises. Tsunami Ready recognition is an important milestone that requires ongoing commitment, including maintaining evacuation maps and signage, updating public information, conducting regular training and exercises, and supporting community awareness activities.
Barbuda’s achievement offers a strong regional example of how scientific knowledge, institutional coordination, political support, and community participation can strengthen people-centered early warning systems and turn preparedness into meaningful action that enhances public safety from tsunami-prone communities.
READ MORE: https://www.ioc.unesco.org/en/articles/barbuda-achieves-ioc-unesco-tsunami-ready-recognition
