The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced a US$1.1 million donation to support recovery efforts in Jamaica and Haiti following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa in October.
According to the Bank, US$600,000 of the funds will be allocated to Jamaica, while Haiti will receive US$500,000. Both countries are Afreximbank member states and were among the worst affected as the Category 5 hurricane tore through the northern Caribbean, impacting lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure.
The donation follows high-level meetings between Afreximbank President, Dr. George Elombi, and the leaders of both countries, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council Chairman, H.E. Laurent Saint-Cyr, and Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during which the Bank expressed solidarity and commitment to rebuilding efforts.
Dr. Elombi said Afreximbank would also explore longer-term financing programmes to support reconstruction and resilience-building, working closely with governments through its CARICOM Office in Barbados.
The United Nations estimates that Hurricane Melissa affected more than 1.6 million people in Jamaica alone. Scientists have warned that climate change is likely to intensify future hurricanes, a concern Afreximbank says reinforces the need for sustained investment in resilient infrastructure.
The Bank noted that the donation builds on its ongoing support for climate-affected Caribbean nations, having contributed over US$500,000 to disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Beryl in 2024.
