The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) has unanimously adopted a Jamaica-led declaration acknowledging the sweeping devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa and affirming collective support for the countries impacted by the historic storm.
The declaration, titled “Addressing the Impact of Hurricane Melissa and Affirming Solidarity with Affected Countries,” was adopted by acclamation on Wednesday, November 5. It reasserts the principles of solidarity and cooperation embedded in the OAS Charter, the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the Inter-American Program for Sustainable Development—especially as they relate to disaster response across the hemisphere.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 28 as a Category 5 system and is already being described as the most powerful hurricane on record in the Caribbean. It carved a path of destruction through Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and The Bahamas. The storm triggered widespread flooding, landslides and prolonged power outages, severely damaging key infrastructure and causing loss of life as well as massive disruptions to tourism, agriculture and fisheries. Early estimates place the economic toll in the billions of dollars.
Ambassadors representing the OAS member states expressed deep solidarity with the affected nations and stressed the urgency of a coordinated hemispheric and international response. The declaration lays out four key commitments:
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Support for impacted countries based on national needs and each state’s capacity, particularly in ongoing relief and recovery operations.
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A mandate to the OAS Secretary General and General Secretariat to continue working with the wider inter-American system, the United Nations, regional bodies and financial institutions to mobilize resources and report progress within 60 days.
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Strengthening the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR), including developing a Strategic Plan for hemispheric cooperation and bolstering the Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM).
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A call for enhanced global cooperation to expand access to climate and development financing, especially for vulnerable developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), while urging greater international ambition in confronting the climate crisis.
The Council also acknowledged the ongoing work of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI), PAHO, IICA, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Inter-American Defense Board and other regional institutions advancing resilience, sustainable development and disaster recovery.
The declaration’s adoption signals the OAS’s renewed commitment to collective action as the region faces intensifying climate threats and increasingly severe weather events.
