Barbados aims to deepen its partnership with Japan to strengthen defences against climate change, with new efforts to build disaster resilience and expand collaboration between government and private sector leaders, said Minister of Home Affairs Gregory Nicholls.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the inaugural Japan-Barbados Business Mission at the Sandals Royal Conference Centre on Thursday, Nicholls told the business and investment representatives: “Resilience is not just a matter of recovery, but about proactive adaptation and the creation of systems that can withstand the shocks of nature,” he said.
In referencing the relationship between Barbados and Japan, Nicholls pointed to several initiatives over the years that have strengthened the island’s disaster management capacity. Among them was the Caribbean Disaster Management Project undertaken by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The project, he explained, resulted in flood mitigation works being carried out in Speightstown and also helped strengthen technical capacity within government agencies and community disaster groups.
Barbados’ experiences with climate-related hazards, such as hurricanes, floods and droughts have reinforced the importance of forward-looking disaster planning, he said.
“There is a need to leverage all available expertise and resources where necessary to ensure the safety and security of all Barbadians.”
Nicholls also praised Japan’s leadership in disaster risk management: “Japan has had a reputation for being one of the most advanced nations in disaster risk management and water-related resilience and is at the forefront of innovation in this field,” he said, adding that Barbados can learn significantly from Japan’s experience.
Japan’s ambassador to Barbados, Yusuke Miyasaka, also underscored his country’s commitment to supporting resilience initiatives in Barbados and across the region.
He noted that Japan has already pledged US$2 million ($4m) towards the construction of the Caribbean Emergency Operations Centre, also referred to as a “centre of excellence”, which will be located adjacent to the Caribbean Logistics Hub.
“This initiative is expected to play an important role in strengthening disaster response capacity not only in Barbados but also across the wider Caribbean region.”
The ambassador added that Japan is seeking to expand the involvement of its private sector in resilience-building efforts across the region.
Miyasaka noted that geographical distance has historically limited opportunities for Japanese companies to engage in the Caribbean, but the business mission is intended to help bridge that gap.
“We are therefore very pleased to have 15 Japanese companies participating in today’s forum,” he said. “They will present their cutting-edge technologies and share their experience in fields such as disaster prevention infrastructure, digital technologies, and water management.”
He expressed hope that the event would serve as a catalyst for stronger partnerships between the two countries.
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