Jamaica Secures US$6.7 Billion for Hurricane Melissa Recovery

Jamaica has received up to US$6.7 billion in support from international institutions to help recover from Hurricane Melissa. The package, arranged at the request of Prime Minister Andrew Holness, involves CAF, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank Group, the IMF, and the World Bank. It includes emergency relief, long-term reconstruction funding, technical assistance, and private investment to help Jamaica rebuild stronger and more resilient.

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica in October 2025 as a powerful Category 5 storm, causing widespread flooding, severe damage to homes, schools, and infrastructure, and displacing thousands of residents. Estimated damages from the hurricane total US$8.8 billion, making it one of the most destructive storms in recent Jamaican history.

Thanks to Jamaica’s disaster risk planning, critical funds were quickly made available after the hurricane. So far, US$662 million has been released from government contingency funds, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, World Bank catastrophe bonds, and IDB credit facilities. This early response helped meet urgent needs while longer-term recovery plans were developed.

The new package provides up to US$3.6 billion over three years, including funding for priority government projects, resilient infrastructure, small business support, budget support, and technical guidance. Private investment of about US$2.4 billion is also expected to help scale recovery efforts.