Overview                                                          With a population of around 5,000 people on a land area of just 39 square miles, Montserrat is the smallest state in the OECS. Like all small island developing states, Montserrat is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change – vulnerabilities which are exacerbated by the social and economic legacy of the devastating eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano in late 1990s.

Main Initiatives                                                           UNDP is working with stakeholders in Montserrat to enhance local capacity to assess needs in a post-disaster context. Through a post disaster needs assessment initiative, local personnel are building skills to assess the full costs of hazard impacts and the costs and benefits of disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies. 

Montserrat, like most countries in the region, is dependent on external partners to define and conduct comprehensive impact assessments. Using a “Training of Trainers” approach, UNDP is working to create a sustainable framework for further and continuous capacity development in PDNA, ultimately ensuring that there is sufficient capacity to independently conduct a PDNA as a basis for post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation. The partnership between UNDP, the World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the EU Commission has already trained several government personnel.

Did You Know?
Did you know that Monserrat is referred to as the ‘Emerald Isle of the Caribbean’