AGP Executive Report

Clean Energy for Fisheries: Canada-backed STAR-Fish is scaling clean energy upgrades for Caribbean fisheries, including renewable power and cold storage, across 10 countries with a 2026–2027 work plan approved for low-carbon certification and better market access. Health Tech & Medicines Access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS opened a joint workshop in Saint Lucia to strengthen pooled procurement, supply chains, quality assurance, and demand forecasting for safe, effective health technologies across Eastern Caribbean states. Social Protection Systems Upgrade: Dominica’s Ministry of Health received WFP tech equipment (desktops, tablets, laptops) to improve the Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus devices for village councils to boost data handling and emergency preparedness. Hurricane Season Preparedness: Dominica’s meteorology office says the 2026 Atlantic season starts June 1 with a below-normal forecast, but warns the island remains highly vulnerable and urges people to follow official updates. OECS Climate Tech Push: OECS leaders in Kingstown backed digital transformation for climate resilience, focusing on data-driven decisions, smart destination management, early warning systems, and digital inclusion. Regional Border Security: Antigua and Barbuda hosted CARICOM IMPACS chiefs to improve fraud detection and cross-border coordination, including faster information sharing for transit screening. Dominica Education Tech: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs May 28–29 with paper-based tests for 792 students, supported by training and safeguarded exam logistics. Regional Sargassum Response: A SARSEA workshop in Dominica brought partners together to coordinate sargassum management, coastal resilience, and biodiversity protection across the OECS.

Clean Energy for Fisheries: Canada-funded STAR-Fish is scaling renewable energy and low-carbon upgrades for Caribbean fisheries, including cold storage and pathways to low-carbon certification, across countries including Dominica. Health Tech & Medicines Access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS launched a joint planning push to improve access to safe, quality-assured medicines and health technologies, with work on procurement, supply chains, and pooled buying. Climate Resilience via Digital Tools: OECS leaders in Kingstown framed digital transformation as “tool for regional survival,” focusing on data-driven decisions, smart destination management, and early warning systems. Sargassum Response: A SARSEA workshop in Dominica brought regional partners together to coordinate practical sargassum management for coastal resilience and biodiversity. Hurricane Season Preparedness: Dominica’s meteorology office says the Atlantic season starts June 1 with a below-normal forecast, but warns the island must stay ready for damaging storms. Social Protection Tech for Dominica: WFP donated computers and tablets to strengthen Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS) and improve data handling for vulnerable families. Education Checkpoint: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment begins May 28–29 with 792 students and paper-based Language Arts, Social Sciences, Composition, Mathematics, and Science & Technology.

WWII Caribbean history: Dominican author Clement Richards’ book Sea Wolves in Warm Waters puts the Caribbean back on the Second World War map, arguing Allied oil and bauxite supply routes made the region a real battleground. Regional environment tech: OECS leaders push digital transformation for climate resilience, while Dominica hosts SARSEA workshops to coordinate sargassum management and coastal resilience across the OECS. Hurricane readiness: The 2026 Atlantic season begins with a below-normal forecast, but Dominica’s meteorology chief warns not to get complacent and urges early action via official weather channels. Social protection upgrades: UN World Food Programme donates computers and tablets to strengthen Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS) and improve data handling for vulnerable families. Health systems access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS plan a regional workshop to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies through better procurement and supply planning. Education tech logistics: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs May 28–29 with paper-based exams for 792 students, supported by training and security for materials. Border security: CARICOM IMPACS chiefs meet in Antigua to improve information-sharing and coordination against fraudulent travel and cross-border crime. Research spotlight: CARPHA conference features doctoral work on substance use during pregnancy and links to low birth weight. Local politics (tech angle): UWP unveils a 10-point plan that includes technology-led job creation and modernization of agriculture and tourism. Satire: THE KWAK reacts to OECS chair Cozier Frederick’s remarks, using humor to keep attention on regional governance.

Social Protection Tech Boost: Dominica’s Ministry of Health received UN World Food Programme equipment—12 desktops, 3 tablets, and a laptop—to strengthen the Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus more devices for village councils to improve data and emergency readiness. Regional Climate Tech & Policy: OECS leaders pushed digital transformation as a resilience tool, linking tech upgrades to smarter tourism management, early warning systems, and data-driven decisions. Sargassum Management Collaboration: SARSEA brought regional experts and officials to Dominica to coordinate national strategic plans for sargassum response, coastal resilience, and biodiversity protection. Hurricane Season Preparedness: Meteorology says the 2026 Atlantic season starts June 1 with a below-normal forecast, but Dominica is still urged to prepare for flash floods, landslides, rough seas, and coastal damage. Health Tech Access in the OECS: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS plan a workshop to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies through better procurement, supply chains, and pooled purchasing. Education Tech & Logistics: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs May 28–29 with paper-based exams, 792 students, and added security support for exam materials.

Regional Climate Tech & Resilience: OECS leaders in Dominica pushed digital transformation as a “tool for regional survival,” aiming for data-driven decisions, smart destination management, and shared early warning systems to cut climate risk. Coastal Environment & Innovation: SARSEA convened regional stakeholders in Dominica to coordinate practical sargassum management and coastal resilience, with funding from AFD and implementation via Expertise France and the OECS. Hurricane Preparedness: The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 with a below-normal forecast, but Dominica was urged to stay ready for flash floods, landslides, rough seas, and coastal damage using official meteorology updates. Social Services Tech Upgrade: Dominica’s Ministry of Health received WFP technology equipment to strengthen the Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus devices for village councils to improve records and emergency readiness. Health & Medicines Access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS are set to launch a technical working group to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies across the Eastern Caribbean. Local Education Tech & Logistics: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs May 28–29 with paper-based exams for 792 students, supported by training and security for exam materials. Satire & Governance: THE KWAK mocked OECS chair Cozier Frederick’s OECS leadership remarks, using humor to spotlight regional environmental governance debates.

Hurricane Preparedness: Dominica’s Meteorology chief says the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has begun (June 1–Nov 30) with a below-normal forecast, but warns the island remains highly vulnerable to flash floods, landslides, strong winds, rough seas, and coastal damage—urging residents to follow official updates via the Dominica Meteorological Service and social media. Climate & Water Stress: Regional reports flag 2026 climate swings, including prolonged drought, rising sea levels, and extreme heat driven by a strong El Niño pattern, threatening freshwater supplies, ecosystems, agriculture, and tourism. OECS Tech for Resilience: OECS leaders in Kingstown pushed digital transformation as a “tool for regional survival,” calling for data-driven decisions, smart destination management, early warning systems, and wider digital inclusion to cut climate risk. Environment Leadership: Dominica’s Cozier Frederick, now OECS Council of Ministers chair for environmental sustainability, urged more member-state involvement, stronger climate financing, capacity building, and public participation in environmental protection. Social Protection Tech: The UN World Food Programme donated computers and tablets to strengthen Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus devices for village councils, to improve record management and support for vulnerable families. Regional Health Tech Access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will convene a workshop in Saint Lucia to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies, including pooled procurement, supply chain support, and quality assurance. Education Tech & Readiness: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs May 28–29 with 792 students at 62 centres, using paper-based exams with support for supervisors and safeguarding of materials.

Hurricane Preparedness: Dominica is urged to stay vigilant as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1, with NOAA forecasting a below-normal season but warning that one storm can still bring devastating flooding and landslides; residents are directed to follow the Dominica Meteorological Service for updates. Climate & Water Stress: Caribbean islands are seeing drought linger alongside extreme heat and shifting rainfall patterns tied to a strong El Niño, threatening reservoirs, ecosystems, agriculture, and tourism. OECS Tech for Resilience: OECS leaders in Kingstown pushed digital transformation as a “tool for regional survival,” focusing on data-driven decisions, smart destination management, early warning systems, and digital inclusion to cut climate risk. Regional Border Security: CARICOM IMPACS chiefs of immigration and customs met in Antigua to improve coordination and timely information-sharing to tackle fraudulent travel and cross-border crime. Dominica Social Tech Boost: The UN World Food Programme donated computers and tablets to strengthen Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS) and improve data handling for vulnerable families. Health Tech Access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will convene a workshop in Saint Lucia to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies across the Eastern Caribbean. Education Testing: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs May 28–29 for 792 students, with paper-based exams including Science & Technology on day two.

OECS Climate Tech Push: OECS ministers in Kingstown say digital transformation is “tool for regional survival,” tying it to data-driven tourism, smart water and beach monitoring, and early-warning systems. Social Protection Upgrade: Dominica’s Ministry of Health received UN World Food Programme tech gear (desktops, tablets, laptop) to strengthen the Social Welfare Information Management System, plus village council devices for wider support. Regional Medicines Access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will launch a technical working group in Saint Lucia to improve procurement, supply chains, quality assurance, and pooled buying of medicines and health technologies. Border Security Coordination: CARICOM IMPACS chiefs of immigration and customs met in Antigua to boost shared information and coordinated action against cross-border crime. Environment Leadership: Dominica’s Cozier Frederick calls for more member states to join environmental protection efforts, stressing climate financing, capacity building, and public participation. Local Education Tech Moment: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs May 28–29 with 792 students, paper-based exams, and added security support for materials. Health Research Spotlight: A CARPHA conference in Guyana featured doctoral work on substance use during pregnancy and links to low birth weight. Travel Tech Shock: Caribbean Airlines cuts Dominica and St. Kitts services from June 1 and reduces Martinique/Guadeloupe flights, citing route losses. Astrobiology Buzz: Researchers point to Earth’s extreme life as a better guide for what aliens might look like and how they could communicate.

OECS Climate Tech Push: OECS ministers in Kingstown backed digital transformation as a “tool for regional survival,” tying tech upgrades to climate resilience, smart tourism management, and early warning systems. Dominica Environment Leadership: Cozier Frederick, now OECS Council of Ministers chair for Environmental Sustainability, urged more member-state involvement, stronger climate financing, and wider public training for resilience work. Social Services Tech Upgrade: UN World Food Programme equipment—desktops, tablets, and a laptop—was handed to Dominica to strengthen the Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus devices for village councils. School Tech & Readiness: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment begins May 28–29 with 792 students at 62 centres, paper-based exams, and added safeguarding support for exam materials. Regional Health Tech Planning: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will convene in Saint Lucia to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies, including pooled procurement and better supply planning. Border Security Coordination: CARICOM IMPACS chiefs of immigration and customs met in Antigua to boost cross-border crime response through faster information-sharing and coordinated screening. Ecosystem Watch: SARSEA meetings in Dominica focus on sargassum management and national strategic plans, feeding into field missions in Martinique and Guadeloupe. Global Science Curiosity: A new astrobiology angle looks to Earth’s extremophiles and other harsh-life models for clues on what non-human life could look like. Aviation Shock: Caribbean Airlines will discontinue Dominica and St Kitts services and cut Martinique/Guadeloupe flights, citing route losses. Governance Over Price: A Global Citizenship Programs Index 2026 says citizenship markets are shifting toward governance quality and compliance, with Eastern Caribbean nations ranking highest.

OECS Environment Leadership: Dominica’s Cozier Frederick, now OECS Council of Ministers chair for Environmental Sustainability, urged wider regional action on climate financing, capacity building, and public participation to close skills gaps. Social Protection Tech Boost: The UN World Food Programme donated computers and tablets to strengthen Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus more devices for village councils to improve data handling and emergency readiness. Regional Health & Medicines: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will run a joint workshop in Saint Lucia to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies, including pooled procurement and better supply planning. Education Tech & Readiness: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment begins May 28–29 with 792 students at 62 centres, using paper-based Language Arts/Social Sciences/Composition and then Mathematics plus Science & Technology. Border Security Coordination: Antigua and Barbuda’s immigration and customs chiefs say the CARICOM IMPACS conference sharpened regional cooperation, especially around e-visa pre-vetting for travellers transiting through the island. Astrobiology Curiosity: A new look at “what aliens might look like” points researchers toward Earth’s extreme life and how it could guide life-detection thinking beyond our planet. Air Travel Shock: Caribbean Airlines plans to discontinue Dominica and St. Kitts routes from June 1 and cut some French Caribbean services, after route losses topped US$18.84 million.

Regional Border Security: Antigua and Barbuda hosted CARICOM IMPACS chiefs of immigration and customs, focusing on faster information-sharing and coordinated action against fraudulent travel and cross-border crime, with Antigua acting as a pre-vetting hub for transit travelers. OECS Environment Leadership: Dominica’s Cozier Frederick called for stronger regional involvement on environmental protection at the OECS Council of Ministers meeting, stressing climate financing, capacity building, and public participation. Social Protection Tech Upgrade: The UN World Food Programme donated computers and tablets to strengthen Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus more devices for village councils to improve data and emergency readiness. Education Tech & Access: Dominica’s 2026 Grade Six National Assessment begins May 28–29 with 792 students at 62 paper-based centres, including Language Arts/Social Sciences/Composition on day one and Mathematics plus Science & Technology on day two. Health Tech & Medicines: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will convene a regional workshop in Saint Lucia to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies, including pooled procurement, supply chain planning, and quality assurance. Marine Threats: SARSEA meetings in Dominica bring together regional experts to shape national sargassum plans and coordinate field actions across the Eastern Caribbean. Space Science Curiosity: A new look at astrobiology argues that “alien” clues may come from Earth’s extreme life, studied in labs and the field to understand what could survive on other worlds.

Education & Testing: Dominica’s 2026 Grade Six National Assessment runs today and tomorrow (May 28–29) with 792 students at 62 centres, using paper-based exams; Language Arts, Social Sciences and Composition come first, then Mathematics and Science & Technology. Public Services Tech: The UN World Food Programme donated computers and tablets to upgrade Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), plus devices for village councils to strengthen data handling and support for vulnerable families. Health Systems & Medicines: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will convene in Saint Lucia (May 28–29) to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies, including a formal launch of a regional technical working group and work on procurement, supply chains, and quality assurance. Environment & Resilience: Over 60 regional professionals meet in Dominica for SARSEA sessions on sargassum national plans, with follow-up field missions planned for Martinique and Guadeloupe. Regional Policy Meeting: OECS ministers gather in Dominica next week (May 27–28) for COM:ES 13 on environmental sustainability, climate finance, marine pollution, renewable energy, and disaster resilience. Science & Research Spotlight: CARPHA conference in Guyana featured Dominican doctoral student Khalisha Halley presenting work on substance use during pregnancy and low birth weight.

Social Protection Tech: Dominica’s Ministry of Health received UN World Food Programme equipment to upgrade the Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), including 12 desktop computers, three tablets, and a laptop, plus extra tablets and desktops for village councils—aimed at better records, faster operations, and stronger support for vulnerable families. Regional Health & Medicines: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will hold a 28–29 May workshop in Saint Lucia to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies, with a new PAHO/WHO–OECS Technical Working Group guiding pooled procurement, supply chains, forecasting, and quality assurance. Environment & Marine Risk: SARSEA meetings in Dominica (26–28 May) bring together regional experts to develop National Strategic Plans for sargassum management, feeding into field work in Martinique and Guadeloupe. Education & Tech-Enabled Learning: Dominica’s Grade Six National Assessment runs 28–29 May for 792 students, with Science & Technology testing on day two using paper-based exams. Health Research Spotlight: CARPHA conference in Guyana featured doctoral student Khalisha Halley’s work on substance use during pregnancy and links to low birth weight. OECS Climate Policy: OECS ministers meet in Dominica on 27–28 May to push environmental sustainability and resilience across the region.

Social Protection Tech for Dominica: The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services received new UN World Food Programme equipment to upgrade Dominica’s Social Welfare Information Management System (SWIMS), including 12 desktop computers, three tablets, and a laptop, plus extra devices for village councils—aimed at better records, faster operations, and stronger support for vulnerable families. Regional Health Tech Access: PAHO/WHO and OECS-PPS will hold a joint planning workshop in Saint Lucia (28–29 May) to improve access to safe medicines and health technologies across the Eastern Caribbean, with a new technical working group guiding pooled procurement, supply chains, quality assurance, and demand forecasting. Digital Health Capacity Building: Dominica is strengthening Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) surveillance using DHIS2 after PAHO training (May 11–15), targeting clinicians, lab staff, and data teams to enroll and manage cases in real time. Environment & Data for Resilience: Dominica hosts the OECS Council of Ministers Environmental Sustainability Meeting (27–28 May), focusing on climate finance, marine pollution, sustainable fisheries, renewable energy, biodiversity, and disaster resilience. Caribbean Science Spotlight: Doctoral student Khalisha Halley presented research on substance use during pregnancy and low birth weight at the CARPHA Health Research Conference in Georgetown. Citizenship Programs Watch: A new Global Citizenship Programs Index 2026 says the market is shifting toward governance quality and compliance over price, with Eastern Caribbean nations taking top spots including Dominica.

Ebola Response Under Strain: The UN says the Ebola fight in DR Congo is getting harder as suspected cases and deaths climb past 900 and 220, while insecurity and violence block teams from reaching the hardest areas; WHO says it’s ramping up contact tracing, treatment centres, labs, and community outreach as Tedros prepares to travel. Regional Environment Watch: Dominica is hosting SARSEA meetings with 60+ regional stakeholders focused on building national plans to manage the growing sargassum problem, with follow-up field work planned for Martinique and Guadeloupe. Air Travel Shock: Caribbean Airlines is cutting routes—ending Dominica and St. Kitts services and reducing Martinique/Guadeloupe to twice weekly—after losses topping US$18.8 million tied to earlier expansion decisions. OECS Climate Agenda: The OECS Council of Ministers on Environmental Sustainability meets in Dominica May 27–28, zeroing in on resilience, marine pollution, climate finance, and ecosystem restoration. Dominica Tech & Health: PAHO-backed DHIS2 training is strengthening Dominica’s severe respiratory infection surveillance, moving beyond paper-based reporting.

Ebola Response Under Strain: The UN says the Ebola fight in DR Congo is getting harder as suspected cases and deaths climb past 900 and 220, with insecurity blocking teams from reaching the most vulnerable areas. Regional Environment Focus: Dominica is hosting SARSEA meetings as sargassum management experts push for national strategic plans, with follow-up field work planned for Martinique and Guadeloupe starting June 1. Regional Tech & Mobility Watch: Caribbean Airlines is cutting routes—ending Dominica and St. Kitts services and reducing Martinique/Guadeloupe flights—after losses topped US$18.8 million, raising fresh questions about regional connectivity. Health Systems Upgrade: Dominica continues building digital surveillance capacity through DHIS2 training for severe respiratory infection monitoring. OECS Climate Agenda: The OECS Council of Ministers’ Environmental Sustainability meeting lands in Dominica May 27–28, with ministers set to tackle climate finance, marine pollution, and resilience.