by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN) – Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Glenroy Blanchette, delivered a compelling speech representing the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis at the prestigious Eighth Session of the United Nations Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025) held in Geneva, Switzerland from June 2 to 6.
The global forum, organised by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), convened international leaders, policymakers, and key stakeholders to evaluate progress, share best practices, and reinforce strategies aimed at mitigating disaster risks and strengthening community resilience worldwide.
Blanchette’s address highlighted the Federation’s steadfast dedication to both regional and international collaboration in disaster risk management, emphasising concrete accomplishments and ongoing challenges within the Caribbean and the Americas.
“For St. Kitts and Nevis, and for the Caribbean and the Americas, this milestone is both a moment of reflection and a call to redouble our collective efforts. We are now five years away from 2030. The clock is ticking and the stakes are rising,” Blanchette stated, underlining the urgency of accelerating efforts as the world approaches the Sendai Framework’s target year.
He celebrated the progress made since the midterm review in 2023, notably citing the successful hosting by St. Kitts and Nevis in December 2024 of the Sixth High-Level Meeting of Ministers and Authorities on the Implementation of the Sendai Framework.
The event drew participation from 27 countries and three overseas territories, with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) serving as co-chair, affirming a shared regional commitment to advancing the Regional Action Plan.
Blanchette detailed key strides made in three fundamental areas.
“First, we strengthened the regional architecture for monitoring and accountability. A voluntary commission of 16 countries was formed to develop a mechanism for assessing progress on the Regional Action Plan. This mechanism, adopted by ministers, will guide evidence-based decision-making and ensure we stay on track towards 2030. Second, we’ve improved multi-hazard early warning systems. Improvements have been observed in governance arrangements, risk assessments, systematic data collection on damage, losses and disaster impacts, and the development preparedness actions. These are not abstract innovations. They are life-saving instruments. Third, significant progress has been achieved in coordinating disaster-risk reduction activities across different levels of government and non-government actors, as well as linking DRR plans to the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. This alignment is critical if we want our efforts to be sustainable and scalable.”
Yet, despite these advances, challenges remain pressing.
“Disaster-risk financing remains a weak link, particularly for SIDs and vulnerable communities. Risk-informed investment is not keeping pace with growing needs, as the Regional Assessment Report highlights strongly. Too often, innovative DRR financing instruments are still incipients. Local governments lack access to the very resources they need to protect lives and livelihoods. And while early warning systems have expanded, they are still far from universal,” Blanchette cautioned.
Looking ahead, the Permanent Secretary outlined six priority areas essential to advancing disaster resilience in the region.
These include enhancing risk knowledge to inform investments, universalising multi-hazard early warning systems, investing in resilient infrastructure and housing, strengthening capacities and financial readiness for resilient recovery, reinforcing the role of local governments, and bolstering the resilience of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Blanchette also shared three transformative “game-changers” derived from regional experience.
“First, the CDMA-CDM strategy and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDs. These are homegrown, locally-led mechanisms that drive implementation on the ground. Second, multisectoral financial strategies, like the regional finance strategy between DRR authorities and ministers of finance in Central America and the Dominican Republic. These conversations are critical for unlocking DRR finances’ potentials. Third, a whole-society approach, amplifying the voices of women, youth, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, and ensuring DRR is shaped by those most affected by risk.”
Concluding his intervention, he reinforced a strong message of commitment and collaboration.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the Sendai Framework and call on all regions to match urgency with innovation. Let us act decisively, invest wisely, and collaborate boldly to protect lives, livelihoods, and development gains across our region and beyond.”
Blanchette’s participation at GP2025 illustrates St. Kitts and Nevis’ leadership in disaster risk reduction and its unyielding resolve to fortify resilience for current and future generations amid climate challenges and global uncertainties.
