BY GOVERNMENT OF BARBADOS | MAR 4, 2024
Barbados previously hosted Exercise Tradewinds in 1992, 2003, and 2017.(FP)
The Final Planning Conference (FPC) for Exercise Tradewinds (EXTW24) will be held in Barbados from Monday, March 11, to Thursday, March 14.
It represents the final stage in a year-long planning process for EXTW24. Commander Mark Peterson of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) will be the lead planner for the exercise and will chair the FPC at the Paragon Base, Christ Church
Exercise Tradewinds is a United States Southern Command-sponsored military exercise, which is conducted annually in the Caribbean region.
Now in its 39th year, EXTW24 is scheduled to be held in Barbados from May 4 to 16.Eighty-four countries and organisations, comprising military and law enforcement personnel, are expected to participate in various aspects of training.
The exercise is designed to improve cooperation, interoperability, and operational responses between participating nations to common threats to national, regional, and hemispheric security. This year, the exercise will focus on preparing regional forces for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2024.
EXTW24 will therefore provide an excellent opportunity for greater regional and sub-regional integration, coordination, and networking of the region’s security forces. Additionally, it will afford security forces and Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Response agencies an opportunity to be exposed to updated techniques in disaster management and mitigation, as well as in counter-narcotics and other aspects of law enforcement.
Barbados also stands to benefit from an economic perspective. The US SOUTHCOM will inject a significant amount of funds into the local economy to procure goods and services in support of the exercise. There will also be an inflow of approximately 1,000 foreign military and law enforcement personnel from the Caribbean, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
Local participating and planning organisations include: The Barbados Police Service, the Barbados Fire Service, the Department of Emergency Management, the Regional Security System, the Customs and Excise Department, and the Immigration Department.
Barbados previously hosted Exercise Tradewinds in 1992, 2003, and 2017.
