EU and India mobilize millions in Hurricane Melissa relief for Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti

The European Union (EU) has committed €2 million in emergency funding to assist families in Jamaica affected by Hurricane Melissa, helping them rebuild homes, restore basic services, and recover livelihoods. An additional €1.25 million will support Red Cross operations in both Jamaica and Cuba.

- Advertisement -

The announcement was made on Sunday (November 9) by European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, during a visit to the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston. The Commissioner met with Ambassador Audrey Marks, Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation, who represented Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

“They are here, they are on the ground, they are delivering support in the areas of greatest need…field hospitals, generators, logistical tracking systems, and every type of supply that is needed by the most hard-hit communities,” Ambassador Marks said. She emphasized that as Jamaica moves from rescue and relief efforts to rebuilding, the partnership with the EU will remain strong.

Commissioner Lahbib noted that six EU member states—France, Luxembourg, Spain, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands—have responded to Jamaica’s request for aid through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Support includes clean water and sanitation kits, shelter materials, emergency equipment, protective gear, a fully equipped medical team, and damage assessment tools. The EU’s Copernicus satellite system is also providing detailed maps of the hardest-hit areas in Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba.

Since Hurricane Melissa, the EU has distributed 64 tonnes of aid to Jamaica, including blankets, kitchen sets, shelter materials, and emergency toolkits. Commissioner Lahbib stressed that the Union is ready to release additional emergency stocks as needed.

“No storm, no hurricane, no disaster can rip apart the solidarity between the European Union and the Caribbean,” she said.

India has also contributed significantly to relief efforts. A shipment of 20 tonnes of disaster relief supplies arrived at Norman Manley International Airport on Thursday (November 6) via an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. The consignment included medicines, medical equipment, generators, tents, beds, hygiene kits, and food items. Among the supplies is a medical trauma unit, the Arogya Maitri Disaster Relief Cube, capable of providing intensive care in disaster-affected areas and deployable by air, road, or drone.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Jamaican government and people, highlighting the strong ties between India and Jamaica. High Commissioner of India to Jamaica, Mayank Joshi, noted that the shipment also included nearly four million water purification tablets and electrocardiogram (ECG) machines, as well as a team of medical experts to train local personnel in the use of the technology.

“This is a gift from the people of India to the people of Jamaica,” High Commissioner Joshi said. “The quickness of this relief shows our commitment to supporting Jamaica in this time of disaster.”

The EU also announced additional support of €2 million for Cuba and €1 million for Haiti, reinforcing international aid efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.