UK and Jamaica sign landmark partnership to fast track Hurricane Melissa reconstruction
By GOV.UK ·
One year after Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of Jamaica, the United Kingdom and Jamaica have entered into a major 4-year partnership to accelerate national reconstruction, restore critical infrastructure and strengthen the country’s resilience to future disasters.
The government-to-government partnership was signed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on Sunday, November 1, in Antigua and Barbuda by the Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband MP, the UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, and Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
The initiative will begin with a £10 million one-year programme, funded equally by the UK Government and the Government of Jamaica, reflecting a shared commitment to Jamaica’s long-term recovery and resilience. UK funding is confirmed for the first year, and funding for future years will be addressed as the programme develops.
The partnership is expected to help Jamaica unlock significant reconstruction and development financing by advancing the preparation and implementation of investment-ready projects and strengthening the country’s capacity to deliver major infrastructure programmes.
A central priority will be supporting Jamaica’s National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) with specialist technical expertise to strengthen project planning, coordination and oversight, and accelerate the implementation of the Government of Jamaica’s reconstruction and resilience programme. The partnership will help move priority projects from planning to implementation more quickly, supported by stronger technical systems and effective programme management.
As part of the partnership, leading UK firms Arup, Mace and Gleeds will form the Jamaica UK Delivery Team (JUKDT), providing design, engineering, programme management and procurement support to NaRRA. The consortium will draw on their international experience, including the Peru reconstruction programme, where they helped deliver schools, health and flood defence infrastructure in the parts of the country most vulnerable to extreme weather events. The JUKDT will work alongside Jamaican engineers, contractors and other professionals to accelerate project delivery, transfer technical expertise and build lasting national capacity to manage major infrastructure programmes.
The programme will also strengthen project monitoring, cost control and public reporting, helping ensure that reconstruction investments deliver measurable results, transparency and value for money.
Speaking on the partnership, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, said:
Jamaica and the United Kingdom share a longstanding relationship, and this partnership gives that relationship practical expression through shared investment and a common purpose. By combining Jamaican leadership and expertise with the UK’s experience in major infrastructure delivery, we will accelerate the rebuilding of communities and the restoration of services, livelihoods and opportunities. For our people, the measure of success will be tangible improvements in their daily lives and infrastructure that better protects them against future disasters.
Jamaica and the United Kingdom share a longstanding relationship, and this partnership gives that relationship practical expression through shared investment and a common purpose. By combining Jamaican leadership and expertise with the UK’s experience in major infrastructure delivery, we will accelerate the rebuilding of communities and the restoration of services, livelihoods and opportunities. For our people, the measure of success will be tangible improvements in their daily lives and infrastructure that better protects them against future disasters.
British High Commissioner Alicia Herbert said:
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, the UK is standing alongside Jamaica. This partnership brings together Jamaican leadership, UK expertise, shared investment and practical results. The aim is not simply to replace what was damaged, but to rebuild stronger: faster delivery of climate-resilient infrastructure to help protect communities against future disasters, alongside lasting Jamaican capability to deliver reconstruction and drive economic growth.
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, the UK is standing alongside Jamaica. This partnership brings together Jamaican leadership, UK expertise, shared investment and practical results. The aim is not simply to replace what was damaged, but to rebuild stronger: faster delivery of climate-resilient infrastructure to help protect communities against future disasters, alongside lasting Jamaican capability to deliver reconstruction and drive economic growth.
The partnership will now focus on translating this shared commitment into action, with NaRRA and the consortium working to advance priority projects, strengthen delivery systems and establish the foundations for a more resilient Jamaica.
Originally published by GOV.UK News & Communications