Bracing

Since 1976, UNDP has been a steady development partner to the Government and people of Jamaica. What began with the signing of the Standard Basic Assistance agreement has grown into five decades of shared work, strengthening democratic governance and access to justice, helping people adapt to a changing climate and recover from disasters, advancing ecosystem conservation, water access and renewable energy, reducing poverty and expanding opportunities for women and young people across the island.  

Today, from its Multi-Country Office in Kingston, UNDP supports Jamaica and the wider Caribbean in navigating some of the most complex challenges of our time, from climate shocks and economic vulnerability to inequality and insecurity.

The sustained commitment of our national and local partners and their long-term investment in development have allowed UNDP to deepen its impact in Jamaica. Our donor partners have been key, their core contributions making it possible for UNDP to stay on the ground, strengthen national development systems and be ready to act the second a crisis unfolds—something no standalone project can deliver.

UNDP works alongside national institutions to build early warning systems, recovery plans and emergency financing mechanisms that communities depend on when crisis hits, delivering targeted training to community leaders and helping the most vulnerable—small business owners, farmers, women, people with disabilities—prepare before storms arrive.  

In the weeks before Melissa hit, UNDP put its crisis plan into motion. The team reviewed ongoing projects to identify which funds could be redirected for emergency support and coordinated with donors to make that flexibility possible. In the final 72 hours before landfall, staff took steps to ensure operations continued without interruption, stepped up coordination with other UN agencies and delivered resilience kits to women-owned small businesses, particularly in rural, underserved areas.