A Haitian delegation comprising officials from the Ministry of the Environment (MdE) and the Directorate General of Civil Protection (DGPC) participated in a training and experience-sharing session in Kingston, Jamaica, from September 21 to 25, 2026. The session focused on managing major natural hazard risks and strengthening coordination between the two countries.

Carried out with technical and financial support from the Caribbean team of the U.S. Forest Service International Programs (USFS/IP), this initiative enabled Haitian and Jamaican participants to share experiences and examine approaches to improve disaster preparedness, prevention, and response.

The proceedings focused on preparedness and response regarding earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires, floods, and landslides, within the framework of integrated multi-hazard risk management. Discussions also addressed inter-institutional coordination mechanisms and the conditions required for faster, better-coordinated resource mobilization during crises.

Particular attention was paid to capacity building for forest fire prevention and management—a priority directly relevant to the Ministry of the Environment. Participants explored various aspects of crisis leadership, incident command and management, fire behavior, early detection, risk analysis, and tools for better anticipating fire progression.

Practical exercises and discussions also allowed participants to examine the command, communication, and coordination mechanisms among the various institutions involved in emergency response. This training also enabled the Haitian delegation to gain a better understanding of Jamaica’s experience in disaster preparedness and response, as well as how its national systems integrate with regional emergency management mechanisms in the Caribbean.

For Haiti, the lessons learned from this experience will help inform efforts to strengthen national prevention and response capacities—particularly regarding forest fires—and to improve coordination among the relevant institutions.

HL/ HaitiLibre