Caribbean

Introduction

The Caribbean is the second most disaster-prone region in the world, regularly hit by disasters. Its Small Islands Developing States are increasingly vulnerable to climatic events, which are becoming more intense, unpredictable, and frequent, resulting largely from the impacts of climate change. 

Along with heightened exposure to natural hazards and decreased resilience to cope with the increased number of risks, the Caribbean subregion continues to experience a large volume of population movement and displacement. The latter is due to exacerbated economic conditions, violence, and worsening humanitarian contexts. 

Facts & figures

EU humanitarian funding:

€219.5 million since 1994 (funding excluding Haiti)

What are the needs?

Due to external factors like ongoing conflicts and internal factors like reduced food import capacities, most countries in the Caribbean continue to experience unprecedented price hikes in food, inputs, and energy. The Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba are the countries in the region with the highest prevalence of insufficient food consumption. 

Climate change and disaster management

Despite continuous efforts to strengthen national and regional disaster management systems, capacities are constantly challenged by the unpredictability, frequency and magnitude of events. In addition, the Caribbean coastal areas are witnessing a 10% increase in sea level rise, above the global average. Coastal erosion, limited resources in protecting and maintaining sea defences and waterfronts, and marine resource degradation pose significant challenges to small island developing states.

In 2025, Hurricane Melissa, the second strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, left a path of destruction across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, as well as Bahamas, Bermuda, and Turks and Caicos Islands to a lesser extent. Over 2.2 million people in Cuba and Jamaica were exposed to hurricane strength winds. 

Displaced people

Last year has also seen an increased number of displacement and movement of people across the Caribbean, in particular for Haitians, Cubans and Venezuelans fleeing their countries, because of insecurity or worsened social and economic conditions. 

Food insecurity

In several other parts of the Caribbean, food insecurity continues to be a concerning factor, due to the slow erosion of livelihoods and coping capacities. 

How are we helping?

Since 1994, the EU has provided over €219 million in humanitarian aid to the Caribbean (excluding Haiti). This has supported disaster preparedness efforts and has addressed the changing humanitarian context. For 2026, the initial allocation is €4 million (excluding Haiti). 

In 2025, following hurricane Melissa, the EU allocated around €6.5 million for the emergency response in Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This response was reinforced by EU support for 8 humanitarian airbridge flights from Panama to Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti, as well as support provided through the European Union Civil Protection mechanism. 

Offers from 6 EU countries (France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia and Spain) included water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), energy and shelter items, tools and equipment, as well as medical supplies and a field hospital. The Copernicus Emergency Management Service was also activated and provided 145 maps in total to support the damage assessment in Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti.

Disaster risk management

On 15 May 2024, the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding on integrated disaster risk management with the Latin America and Caribbean region. The first such agreement of its kind, provides an important framework for enhanced region-to-region collaboration. 3 other regional disaster management agencies, including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), as well as 3 individual countries, (Mexico, Cuba and Chile), have signed as participants to the Memorandum. 

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