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The Kalinago Territory is set to benefit from the construction of a Multipurpose Center and Emergency Shelter\u2014a project aimed at enhancing community resilience and disaster preparedness in Dominica. High-level representatives from the Government of Dominica, the High Commission of Canada, and the Caribbean Development Bank joined members of the Kalinago community for the official groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, January 31, which was carried live by DNO.<\/p>\n
The EC$8.5 million initiative is a collaborative effort between the Government of Dominica and the Government of Canada, facilitated through the Community Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (CDRRF). Managed by the Caribbean Development Bank, the CDRRF was designed to finance projects that reduce the impacts of natural hazards and support climate change adaptation in communities across the Caribbean. Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria, Canada allocated some of these funds to support the creation of a community shelter in the Kalinago Territory, complementing its diverse range of international assistance in the immediate aftermath of, and as part of the long-term recovery from, the 2017 disaster.<\/p>\n
Abebech Assefa, Head of Cooperation for the Eastern Caribbean at the High Commission of Canada, represented Canada at the significant ceremony, which was attended by Cabinet Ministers and members of the Kalinago Council. Assefa shared, \u201cToday, we break ground on a project that will contribute to a more resilient tomorrow for the Kalinago people and for Dominica. With an architectural design combining functionality, resilience, and respect for Kalinago cultural heritage and traditions, this Multipurpose Center and Emergency Shelter will serve as a tangible example of the Canada-Dominica relationship and our shared commitment to advance climate resilience and honor Indigenous perspectives.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Governments of Canada and Dominica are contributing EC$5.5 million and EC$3 million, respectively, towards the facility, which will serve both as an emergency shelter during natural disasters and as a hub for community development. The building is designed to withstand seismic activity and category-five wind loads, aligning with Dominica\u2019s commitment to “build back better” and to enhance resilience to extreme weather events brought about by climate change. The groundbreaking ceremony follows more than two years of participatory project activities that promote the adoption of a comprehensive, gender-sensitive approach to disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.<\/p>\n
This project complements Canada\u2019s wide-ranging support for climate resilience in the Caribbean, which includes funding for the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to strengthen the regional response mechanism. Specifically for Dominica, support was provided to the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica (CREAD), which helped the country lead and coordinate strategic initiatives across various sectors, aiming to make Dominica the world\u2019s first climate-resilient nation.<\/p>\n
In November 2024, the High Commissioner of Canada, H.E. Brenda Wills, accepted the Sisserou Award of Honor on behalf of the Government of Canada during Dominica\u2019s 46th Anniversary of Independence celebrations. More than a recognition of Canada\u2019s enduring support to Dominica in its efforts to become the world\u2019s first climate-resilient nation, particularly through CREAD, High Commissioner Wills noted that the honor \u201creflects the strength and depth of our relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Kalinago Territory is set to benefit from the construction of a Multipurpose Center and Emergency Shelter\u2014a project aimed at enhancing community resilience and disaster preparedness in Dominica. High-level representatives from the Government of Dominica, the High Commission of Canada,…","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":336330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[235,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-336215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homepage-carousel","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n