When Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas in 2019, the devastation was immediate and overwhelming. Communities were left without shelter, families were separated, and critical infrastructure was destroyed. For many Bahamians, the trauma of that disaster lingers, but so does a powerful lesson: preparedness should not be an after-thought but a critical investment in resilience.
Pathways to preparedness: UNDP’s global approach, locally tailored
At UNDP, preparedness and early warning are at the heart of building resilience in communities facing shocks and crises. In the past decade alone, UNDP has supported early warning services in more than 90 countries and mobilized over US$2 billion to strengthen preparedness efforts worldwide. But what does preparedness really mean?
Preparedness is about helping countries anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover from crises, whether disasters, conflict, or other forms of fragility. It is a proactive approach rooted in understanding complex risks and empowering people to take timely, informed action when risks become disasters. At its core, preparedness must be people-centred. That means putting communities first – especially those most at risk – and ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to prepare to respond and recover.
To translate this people-centred vision into action, UNDP has developed practical tools and services that help operationalize preparedness at all levels. The UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway is a modular, practice-oriented capacity development service designed to empower national and local authorities, UN entities, and practitioners. It brings together global expertise and local knowledge to strengthen disaster and crisis preparedness, focusing on risk assessment, institutional coordination, operational preparedness, early warning, anticipatory action, and financing.
The Bahamas: Building resilience in the face of extreme climate risk
As a small island state, The Bahamas faces unique and growing risks from climate change: more intense hurricanes, rising sea levels, and underlying socio-economic vulnerabilities.
UNDP is on the ground supporting the Government of The Bahamas to strengthen resilience through innovative and inclusive preparedness interventions, such as the development of multi-purpose emergency shelters – facilities that serve as community centers in normal times and transform into safe havens during disasters. The Abaco Community Center and Hurricane Shelter, funded by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, is a flagship example. Designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes with winds up to 250 mph, the shelter will include an industrial kitchen, emergency office spaces, and accessibility features for vulnerable populations. It is envisioned as a prototype for future resilient infrastructure across The Bahamas.
Beyond infrastructure, UNDP’s support includes capacity development initiatives to strengthen preparedness. The UNDP Preparedness Learning Pathway workshop in December 2024, delivered in partnership with IOM and 19 external experts from 15 organizations and countries, targeting over 50 practitioners from the Disaster Risk Management Authority and Social Services Department was a milestone in the country’s journey toward enhanced preparedness for response. Participants engaged in hands-on exercises, scenario planning, and peer learning, covering topics from climate-smart shelter management to anticipatory action.
“Thanks to UNDP and its partners, we now have a stronger foundation for preparedness. The Preparedness Learning Pathway workshop gave us access to global expertise and practical tools that are already influencing how we plan and respond. The peer learning sessions helped us benchmark our national systems against international best practices, and the hands-on exercises made the concepts immediately applicable. This kind of capacity building is exactly what we need to move from reactive response to proactive preparedness.”
— Ms. Dominique Martin, Assistant Managing Director, Resource Mobilisation, Disaster Risk Management Authority of The Bahamas
Bahrain: Preparedness at the crossroads of innovation and community leadership
Thousands of kilometres away, the Kingdom of Bahrain is also investing in preparedness as a cornerstone of resilience. Digital tools like the National Civil Protection Platform and the Hayat Plus mobile application are central to this transformation, allowing citizens can access real-time safety alerts, join volunteer networks, and contribute to risk reduction efforts, all while reinforcing traditional practices of mutual aid and civic responsibility.
In May 2025, the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with UNDP and IOM, hosted the “Strengthening Resilience” national workshop building on UNDP’s Preparedness Learning Pathway. Over four days in Manama and online, 60 participants from various institutions explored the fundamentals of operational preparedness, the use of risk data and information for planning, and the complexities of emergency facility management.
“Preparedness is not just a technical requirement; it is a strategic imperative for safeguarding lives and protecting development. In Bahrain, strengthening our readiness to respond to crises is central to building resilience across sectors. The Strengthening Resilience workshop, delivered by UNDP and IOM, was a key step forward, bringing together national institutions to enhance our understanding of operational preparedness and risk-informed planning.”
— Major Hamad Sabah Al Swar, Director, Crisis and Disaster Management Center, Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Bahrain
Fund resilience, not disasters: Investment in preparedness pays off
Disasters are growing more frequent and costly, with global losses nearing $2.3 trillion annually. Yet, funding for disaster risk reduction remains minimal—often under 1% of public budgets. This underinvestment drives countries into cycles of debt and crisis. The Bahamas and Bahrain show that preparedness is a smart investment: it saves lives, protects development, and lowers long-term costs. Effective preparedness is collaborative, anticipatory, inclusive, and innovative. The 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction – “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters” – calls for risk-informed investments to break the cycle of repeated crises, and build a safer, more resilient world for all.
Source: https://www.undp.org/geneva/blog/bahrain-bahamas-why-preparedness-smart-investment
