Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has reaffirmed his government’s strong ties with the United States, praising Washington’s continued investment in the island’s development and national security.
Speaking at a handing over ceremony for three U.S.-funded disaster management facilities—two emergency operation centres and a disaster warehouse—Skerrit underscored the importance of the bilateral relationship. The facilities, which cost over US$3 million, were financed by the United States.
“I want to reassure the United States of America, through our friend, the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Barbados, Karin Sullivan, that Dominica stands with the United States always and the United States can count on Dominica as a true transparent friend in all efforts of your national development and our joint efforts at addressing global issues,” Skerrit said.
The U.S. also announced a further commitment of US$2.1 million to build a new fire and ambulance station in La Plaine on Dominica’s east coast.
Skerrit hailed the visit by U.S. diplomat Karin Sullivan as a reflection of “shared values of cooperation, mutual respect and our collective commitment to resilience, development and security in the region.”
“We deeply appreciate the continued assistance of the United States government, particularly in areas like infrastructure, capacity building and disaster preparedness for national security, and I dare say we cannot write the history of national security in Dominica and not have several paragraphs and pages assigned to the United States of America,” Skerrit said. “Without you, the Caribbean would not be as safe as it is today and do not ever underestimate your contributions to our national security and regional security.”
Earlier this month, Skerrit also defended Dominica’s relationship with China during talks in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Addressing concerns about the nature of that alliance, he said, “I think some of the things that people speak about our relationship with China are sometimes misplaced. China has been… and continues to be a major ally in our economic and social development.
“We have always maintained our relationship with China in a very transparent way. Our relationship with China is no different to that of our relationship with any country in the world, whether it’s a European country or an African country or a Caribbean country.”
Skerrit emphasized that China’s support is visible and widespread across sectors in Dominica. “What China is doing for Dominica is open for everybody to see and is visible for everybody to see, whether it’s the construction of schools or the hospitals or the roads or support to farmers and small businesses or housing, and that’s what we speak to China about,” he said.
During Thursday’s ceremony, Skerrit reiterated Dominica’s commitment to becoming the world’s first climate-resilient nation, noting that the support of international partners like the United States is critical in achieving that goal.
“This is no small task. The climate-related shocks we face are not only increasing in frequency but also growing in intensity. For us, resilience is not a buzzword, it is a lifeline. And we cannot achieve it alone,” he said.
He specifically thanked the U.S. Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM) for its contributions to emergency preparedness, institutional development, and national security. “Over the years, our two nations have worked together on a range of development initiatives from education and health to economic growth and disaster resilience,” Skerrit said.
He credited U.S. agencies such as USAID, the Department of Defense, and the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance for their “strategic and policy-level partnership” with Dominica, particularly in light of climate challenges.
“This collaboration, particularly through US SOUTHCOM, is a reflection of our shared priorities under broader frameworks such as the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030) and the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI),” Skerrit said. “These initiatives emphasise disaster preparedness, energy security, climate resilience and institutional strengthening, core pillars of Dominica’s own development policy.”
The newly commissioned facilities, he said, represent more than construction—they symbolize “policy in action, diplomacy in practice, and partnership with purpose.”
