The U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced an additional $2 million in funding to support recovery efforts in the Eastern Caribbean following the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl. The hurricane caused significant damage across Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The USAID assistance will focus on supporting regional economic resilience and revitalization/recovery, particularly in the fisheries, agriculture, and informal business sectors, and Micro-, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The announcement was made at the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in St. George’s, Grenada.

“In a disaster like Hurricane Beryl, small businesses, including fisherfolk and farmers, are often the hardest hit.  As a former small business owner, I am a strong advocate for United States leadership in supporting the recovery of fisheries, agriculture, and small and medium-size businesses.  I am proud we are helping our friends, neighbors and partners get back on their feet and building a more resilient future,” said Ambassador Roger Nyhus.

Over the past two years, the U.S. Government, through USAID, has invested more than $29 million in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean to help countries and populations withstand external shocks — manmade and natural — that impede economic development and limit the region’s safety, security, and prosperity. USAID has already pledged over $4.5 million to the region for immediate recovery efforts related to Hurricane Beryl.