OECS Commission, Inter‑American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank to collaborate on Regional Housing Resilience Initiative

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, in partnership with the Inter‑American Development Bank (IDB) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), has initiated discussions towards establishing a Regional Operation for Advancing Housing Resilience in the Caribbean. This initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of existing housing stock across the OECS, addressing vulnerabilities that have left communities exposed to disasters, costing the Caribbean more than US$22 billion between 1950 and 2016.

The operation will prioritise retrofitting homes and community infrastructure, drawing on regional standards such as the CARICOM hurricane‑resilient construction code and the Barbados Retrofit Policy Manual. Successful models, including Trinidad and Tobago’s Housing Development Inspectors who guided upgrades for 3,500 households, demonstrate how resilience can be scaled across diverse contexts.

At the meeting, partners agreed that the programme will be structured as an investment loan under a Global Credit Programme, with CDB serving as the executing agency for OECS member states. The scope will extend beyond individual houses to include slope stabilisation, improved access, and recreational spaces, ensuring that resilience is embedded not only in homes but in the wider community fabric.

The OECS is expected to be invited to a meeting in Barbados from 3–5 December, bringing together Caribbean Ministers for Housing and Urban Development to refine the framework for implementation. The initiative marks an important step in safeguarding communities and embedding resilience at the core of regional development.