The UNESCO Regional Office for the Caribbean participated in the 22nd High-Level Forum for Caribbean Ministers Responsible for Water, held in Grenada on 12–13 October 2026 within the framework of the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association’s (CWWA) 35th Annual Conference and Exhibition.
Under the theme “From Declaration to Delivery: One Caribbean, Advancing Water Security and Inclusive Wastewater Management,” the Forum brought together ministers, senior officials, water utilities and development partners to discuss practical responses to the region’s water challenges.
Representing UNESCO, Bandiougou Diawara, Head of Natural Sciences Programme at the Regional Office for the Caribbean, followed the ministerial discussions and exchanged with national representatives and partners on opportunities for cooperation. Discussions highlighted the importance of reliable data, stronger local institutions and technical capacity to turn water-sector priorities into well-prepared investments and tangible improvements for communities. Participants also stressed the need to share expertise across the region and manage risks before they become crises.
These priorities provided the context for UNESCO’s side event, “Preparing the Caribbean for El Niño 2026–2027: Disaster response and water resilience,” held on 13 October. Organized within the UNESCO x El Niño campaign, the session connected water science, lessons from disaster response and countries’ needs to explore a regional capacity-building activity that UNESCO could support.
“Water resilience starts with turning scientific information into timely decisions. By combining local data with shared expertise and lessons from experience, Caribbean countries can prepare earlier and better protect their communities,” said Bandiougou Diawara.
The UNESCO presentation outlined three areas of support available through its Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP): water information and monitoring, climate risk analysis, and training and technical cooperation.
Concrete examples illustrated how these approaches could support national preparedness. Combining satellite observations with field measurements could help institutions monitor reservoir water quality during low-water conditions. Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis (CRIDA) could help authorities compare storage, water loss reduction and demand management options under uncertain climate conditions. Regional training could support country teams in interpreting seasonal forecasts alongside local hydrological data and translating this information into drought preparedness decisions.
The session also featured Jamaica’s experience of cooperation with UNESCO following Hurricane Melissa. Geoffroy Marshall, Deputy Managing Director of Jamaica’s Water Resources Authority (WRA), shared lessons on hydrological information, assessment and preparedness, providing a basis for considering how national experience can inform wider Caribbean cooperation.
“Resilience and recovery from loss and damage caused by extreme weather events requires partnership, planning and patience to restore both data collection networks and community networks,” said Geoffroy Marshall.
During the country dialogue, participants agreed that the regional capacity-building activity would focus on water-quality monitoring. This priority responds to the need to strengthen countries’ ability to assess water quality and use reliable information to guide preparedness and water management, including during low-water conditions.
UNESCO will work with national focal points and relevant institutions to refine the scope and format of the activity around countries’ needs, drawing on IHP expertise and opportunities for sharing experience across the Caribbean.
Through its participation in CWWA 2026, UNESCO reinforced its commitment to supporting Caribbean countries with water science and technical cooperation, with national priorities guiding the focus and scope of future support.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-connects-water-science-el-nino-preparedness?hub=701
