Caribbean leaders meet to discuss progress of SDGs’ implementation

The Guyana Government and the United Nations (UN) System in the Caribbean recently hosted a meeting to review the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Region.
The Joint Steering Committee of the UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF) met for its Annual Coordination Meeting on May 22, 2023. The Joint Steering Committee assessed the UN’s response to regional development priorities during the first year of implementation of the UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (MSDCF).
Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh co-chaired the meeting with the UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Yesim Oruc.
Dr Singh welcomed the opportunity to reiterate the key messages that are important to the Caribbean and to register appreciation to the UN and its respective agencies for the partnership provided in advancing our respective national development agendas.
“We, in the Caribbean, are proud members of the United Nations and active participants in its various institutions and organs. We welcome the opportunity to meet through this annual consultation to take stock of where we are and to articulate our vision in relation to how we move forward,” he stated.
The senior Minister also pointed out the peculiarities and vulnerabilities of the Region due to the climate change phenomena and other externalities as he lamented the non-implementation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) and the delivery of the 0.7% GNI (Gross National Income) of ODA (Official Development Assistance) from rich countries to assist poor countries.
Meanwhile, the UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana highlighted that “…a regional cooperation framework delivered at national levels that is fit for purpose resulted in the UN responding to the calls of Small Island Developing States, especially the Caribbean, to deliver more tailored support to countries and territories.”
Regional Director for the UN Development Coordination Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Valent thanked participating governments for their continued partnership with the UN. He noted that the Framework saw the UN System working with countries in enhancing systems to ensure decent work for people across the Caribbean; supporting countries to address long-standing health challenges; strengthening education; helping countries to improve their food systems; advancements in achieving gender equality and development efforts to allow for a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
According to Valent, results show that the UN has worked in a coordinated and coherent manner in response to the Secretary General’s call for a course correction to rescue the SDGs, while focused on human rights of all.
The Joint Steering Committee is part of the governance mechanism of the implementation of the Caribbean MSDCF and comprises ministerial representatives of the 19 country signatories to the Cooperation Framework, as well as representatives from 23 UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes that implement development projects in the Region.
The hybrid meeting saw discussions on food systems, data and digitalisation, and how the UN can support countries across the Region to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and agreed on strategies for strengthening this mechanism.
The Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF) is the most important instrument for planning and implementation of the UN development activities towards the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda in the Caribbean. The UN and the governments in the region are committing to contribute to significant structural changes in the economies and governance systems of participating countries towards: economic resilience and shared prosperity; equality and well-being; resilience to climate change and shocks, and sustainable natural resource management; and peace, safety, justice, and the rule of law. (G8)