On 14 September 2026, during the final day of the Eighth Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-8) meeting in Nuku’alofa, Tonga; the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) formalised a historic partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen meteorological and hydrological services across the Pacific and Caribbean regions.
The MOU was signed by Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, Director General of SPREP, and Dr David A. Farrell, Principal of CIMH, bringing together two organisations with deep expertise in supporting island communities to navigate climate and weather challenges.
SPREP is the Pacific region’s environmental intergovernmental organisation based in Apia, Samoa. Through its Climate Science and Information (CSI) Programme, SPREP supports Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) to strengthen their institutional and technical capacities, improve the generation and use of climate science and information, and enhance weather, climate, and hydrological services. SPREP also leads implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative across the Pacific, contributing to strengthened multi-hazard early warning systems and climate resilience.
Based in Barbados, CIMH is an Institution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the technical organ of the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation (CMO), and an Affiliate of the University of the West Indies. CIMH hosts several highly specialised technical Centres that advance regional and global capacity development, research and development, as well as services development and delivery in meteorology, climate science, hydro-meteorology, water resources management, and marine science. Through collaborations with other regional and global institutions, the CIMH is contributing to the development of advanced cascading multi-hazard early warning systems and integrative platforms designed to strengthen the social and economic resilience of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Dr David Farrell said, ‘For the CIMH, this partnership presents a tremendous opportunity for the Caribbean and Pacific SIDS to partner on building capacity and technical solutions specifically targeted to address the unique current and future challenges facing SIDS. The Caribbean and Pacific both understand the importance of becoming more self-reliant in a rapidly changing and uncertain world. By learning from each other, sharing expertise and creating opportunities for our young professionals to meet and interact, we can learn from each other and, in doing so, strengthen the products and services that our respective states and communities depend on. This is about South-South cooperation in action, Pacific and Caribbean expertise coming together to find solutions that work for island communities. Above all, this is an opportunity for people from distant island nations to build new friendships while learning from and about each other.’
This partnership between the two organisations will allow for knowledge sharing and the exchange of experience in seasonal forecasting, climate analysis, and sectoral climate services, creating a pathway for Pacific meteorological services to learn from Caribbean approaches to building climate-resilient economies and vice versa. It will also increase opportunities for Pacific and Caribbean island states to exchange knowledge, particularly on disaster risk reduction and adapting services for island communities that face strikingly similar climate challenges, from tropical cyclones to sea-level rise and ocean acidification.
‘This partnership reflects the strength of the Pacific when we come together, share what we know and learn from each other. Our islands may be different, but many of the challenges we face are shared as Small Island Developing States. By working together, supporting our people and investing in the next generation of Pacific meteorologists and climate professionals, we can build stronger services and better prepare our communities for the changes ahead,’ said Director General Sefanaia Nawadra following the signing.
‘At the heart of this partnership is a simple goal: to ensure that we are sharing our knowledge and information and make a real difference in the lives of our people.’
The five-year partnership is renewable and builds on both organisations’ commitment to the United Nations’ (UN) Early Warnings for All initiative, reflecting a shared determination to ensure that island communities in the Pacific and Caribbean have access to timely, reliable climate and weather information to support decision-making and save lives.
As climate impacts intensify across both regions, this collaboration represents a critical step forward in strengthening the science and services that underpin resilience.