SCARBOROUGH, Tobago, 29 October, 2026 – Tobago's sustainable development story is being written by community groups in its villages, forests and public spaces. For United Nations Day, the UN in Trinidad and Tobago invited the international partners who help fund that work to see the results for themselves. On 26 and 27 October, diplomats and representatives of international financial institutions joined the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and the UN Country Team on a mission from Scarborough to Charlotteville. They looked at what multilateral support has delivered on the ground and where it should go next.The mission opened with a Development Partners Meeting in Scarborough, co-chaired by the Chief Secretary of Tobago, the Honourable Farley Augustine, and the UN Resident Coordinator in Trinidad and Tobago, Joanna Kazana. It centred on a practical question: with global development finance under growing pressure, how can the THA, the UN and international partners make every investment in Tobago's future count for more? Chief Secretary Augustine presented the THA's Strategic Development Planning Pathway for Tobago 2025–2045 and invited partners to align their support with it. The UN followed with its Tobago-focused Common Country Analysis 2026, giving everyone at the table a shared picture of Tobago's development opportunities and challenges, before the floor opened for discussion."This meeting marks an important step in building a more inclusive society and an economy of opportunity where every citizen can participate in Tobago's development and share in its prosperity," the Chief Secretary said. "We welcome the continued cooperation with the UN and our international partners as we pursue this shared vision and strengthen the institutional capacity we need to deliver for the people of Tobago."Ms. Kazana commended the THA's support for community-led development and congratulated the youth and community leaders putting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to work across Tobago."Tobago offers a rare opportunity to demonstrate what multilateral success looks like when global partnerships align with governance institutions and community priorities," she said. "Even after UN support for a project has ended, these innovations are being sustained by the people of Tobago — the youth, women, fisherfolk and community advocates whose commitment and local knowledge have made these possible. Tobago can become a model of coordinated, locally-led implementation of the SDGs for small island states everywhere."The Chief Secretary, the Resident Coordinator, UN heads of agency and development partners then briefed the media. Marking UN Day togetherThe THA and the UN co-hosted a reception at the Pigeon Point Heritage Pavilion to mark United Nations Day, which commemorates the founding of the UN on 24 October, 1945. The occasion brought Tobago's leadership, the diplomatic corps and the UN family together to celebrate the partnership at the heart of the day's discussions. Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, The Honourable Sean Sobers, delivered remarks and expressed the continued commitment of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to partner with the UN and the international community on sustainable development and on peace and security, in light of Trinidad and Tobago’s upcoming tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2027-2028. From the meeting room to the fieldAcross six site visits, delegates saw UN-supported community initiatives in health, sustainable livelihoods, clean energy, biodiversity, waste reduction and the prevention of gender-based violence. At each stop, the people leading the work told the story themselves and demonstrated how Tobagonians are ensuring there is longevity to development successes even after the project has officially ended.Scarborough General Hospital: technology and care from the first day of lifeAt Scarborough General Hospital in Signal Hill, delegates interacted with a medical health services robot introduced with support from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), under a project backed by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. They also learned about the hospital's Baby-Friendly certification, achieved through the PAHO/WHO-supported Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, the global standard for maternity care that supports breastfeeding. Both initiatives, executed in partnership with the THA Division of Health, Wellness and Social Protection, mean safer, higher-quality frontline care for Tobago's families.Blenheim: a lifetime of beekeeping knowledge, now onlineAt the Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute in Blenheim, Mount Saint George, the delegation met beekeepers and entrepreneurs building livelihoods from the hive. With support from the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme and implementation by UNDP (UNDP GEF SGP), Tobago has expanded its supply of homegrown honey and widened access to training. It did so through an online platform that teaches beekeeping theory, backed by a hands-on training apiary. The project draws on the knowledge of Tobago's oldest beekeeper, a key partner in the development of the training programme, and is anchored in collaborations with Tobago's police youth clubs so young people have a chance to learn the beekeeping craft. This initiative was made possible through robust partnerships with the THA Division of Education, Skills and Innovation and the THA Division of Food Security.During the visit, local entrepreneurs also showcased honey, soaps, candles, face and body creams and other products from the hive. Their stalls made the point plainly: a healthy bee population supports both Tobago's biodiversity and its small businesses. Main Ridge Forest Reserve: citizen science on the Blue Copper TrailTuesday began with an early drive to the Main Ridge Forest Reserve Visitor's Centre near Parlatuvier. Designated a reserve by law since 1776, the forest is among the oldest protected forests in the Western Hemisphere and the lifeblood of eastern Tobago's watersheds and biodiversity. Solar photovoltaic panels provided through an EU-funded project implemented by UNDP keep the Visitor’s Centre off-grid, so the THA Division of Environment, Climate Resilience and Energy can welcome tourists without generating carbon emissions. On the Blue Copper Trail, delegates joined the Trinidad and Tobago Bird Observatory and Research Centre (TTBO), an implementing partner in the FAO-supported BIOREACH conservation project, to tag the White-tailed Sabrewing. The globally-threatened hummingbird is found only in Tobago and north-east Venezuela, and was feared extinct in Tobago after Hurricane Flora in 1963.Tobago has worked to rebuild this fragile population, most recently through the BIOREACH partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the THA Division of Environment, Climate Resilience and Energy, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), TTBO, the Tobago Reforestation and Watershed Rehabilitation Programme (TRWRP) and the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development. The project has delivered regular tagging operations using nets erected in the forest and trained and certified local foresters and community residents who can safely capture, handle and tag the birds while overseeing data collection. Local residents are now driving the citizen science that protects a globally significant ecosystem.Roxborough: putting plastic waste to workAt the Roxborough Police Youth Club, delegates saw community-led efforts to scale up plastic upcycling in Tobago. With funding from UNDP GEF SGP and support from the THA Division of Environment, Climate Resilience and Energy  and the THA Division of Education, Skills and Innovation, the police youth club partnered with Flying Tree Environmental, a Trinidad-based NGO, to set up a Plastics Upcycling and Learning Centre.The centre keeps plastic out of landfills and teaches the public, particularly school-aged children, about the intricacies and benefits of upcycling. Delegates fed waste plastic into the centre's two machines, observing how one crushes bottles into chips that are melted and moulded into plastic lumber, fence posts, benches, pallets and aggregate for concrete. They also witnessed a demonstration of how the second machine compacts bottles so larger volumes can be transported from communities to the centre. The Roxborough Police Youth Club is working towards the next step in creating an island-wide upcycling system, which would establish drop-off and collection depots in communities to allow residents to bring in more waste plastic.Louis D'Or: young artists speaking out on gender-based violenceAt the Louis D'Or Recreational Ground, delegates saw a mural created by young Tobagonian artists to raise awareness of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, particularly against women and girls. The project is funded by Global Affairs Canada and delivered by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with the THA Division of Youth Empowerment and Sport. It is producing murals in two communities in Tobago and three in Trinidad, building on an earlier mural by the Government of Canada and UNFPA at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain.Set in a space where residents meet every day, the artwork puts young people at the front of difficult conversations about respect, violence and online safety. It also displays hotline numbers people can call to report gender-based violence and seek support.Charlotteville: a biosphere reserve shaped by its communityThe final visit took the delegation to the Environmental Research Institute of Charlotteville (ERIC), a lead community partner in governing the North-East Tobago Biosphere Reserve. The reserve was designated under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme in October 2020. Representatives of ERIC and the Tobago Biosphere Management Alliance explained how the reserve is managed, with leadership from the THA Division of Environment, Climate Resilience and Energy, and what communities have achieved over the last six years:a pilot that trained young people to revive oyster farmingcoral reef restorationa growing library of images and video of life in the reserveshark and ray conservation effortspublic education that builds support for conservationIn North-East Tobago, healthy forests, coastline and sea underpin fishing, tourism and daily life, and residents are leading the effort to protect them.From Scarborough to Charlotteville, the mission carried one clear message for partners: in Tobago, international support goes furthest when communities lead.Who took partThe international development partners on the mission included delegates from the Delegation of the European Union to Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Embassy, the High Commission of Canada, the High Commission of India, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Embassy of Germany, the Embassy of France, the Embassy of Spain, the Embassy of China, the Embassy of the Republic of Chile, the High Commission of Nigeria, the Consulate of Guyana, the Consulate General of The Bahamas, the Association of Caribbean States and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.The UN system was represented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), PAHO/WHO, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNFPA, FAO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV).The mission was organised by the UN Office of the Resident Coordinator in Port of Spain............................................................................This story was first published by United Nations Trinidad and Tobago

The North-East Tobago Biosphere Reserve took centre stage during a visit by United Nations representatives and international development partners to the island of Tobago, in Trinidad and Tobago, showcasing how nature conservation can support local livelihoods, sustainable tourism and climate resilience.The delegation visited the Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville (ERIC) to learn about the Biosphere Reserve and community-led efforts to protect the environment while creating opportunities for sustainable development.The visit formed part of a two-day mission held in connection with the annual observance of United Nations Day. It also highlighted UNESCO’s contribution to Tobago’s development priorities, bringing together science, conservation and community action.The mission included a Development Partners’ Meeting convened on 26 October by the Tobago House of Assembly and the United Nations in Trinidad and Tobago.Representatives of 13 countries and nine UN agencies joined the discussions, alongside the Tobago House of Assembly and international development partners, including regional organisations, to explore how partners could better align their support with Tobago’s priorities.Representing UNESCO, Bandiougou Diawara, Head of the Natural Sciences Programme at the UNESCO Regional Office for the Caribbean, highlighted the contribution of the Biosphere Reserve to sustainable tourism and climate resilience.The North-East Tobago Biosphere Reserve shows why protecting nature matters to people: its forests, rivers and coastal ecosystems support livelihoods, water security and tourism. It also provides a platform for communities and partners to work together to strengthen resilience and create opportunities for local peopleBandiougou Diawara, Head of the Natural Sciences Programme at the UNESCO Regional Office for the CaribbeanDesignated in 2020 under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, the Reserve encompasses terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, coral reefs and mangroves.UNESCO is also supporting a multi-hazard risk assessment and mapping initiative for the Biosphere Reserve, which is about to begin. The study is expected to help inform disaster preparedness, ecosystem restoration and tourism planning.For local communities, protecting the environment is closely linked to preserving cultural heritage and securing future livelihoods.“Fishing has supported our communities for generations. Today, we see opportunities to build on that heritage through sustainable tourism, creating new sources of income while protecting our environment and preserving our traditions. What matters is ensuring that development benefits local people without changing what makes our communities unique.”Tamica Whitlock, representative of the Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville.The visit provided an opportunity to learn more about ERIC’s work and explore how UNESCO and its partners can complement ongoing efforts to strengthen the Biosphere Reserve and support the communities that depend on it............................................................................This story was first published by UNESCO Regional Office for the Caribbean

Every year on 24 October, United Nations Day offers an opportunity to reflect on a simple but powerful truth: no country, community, or institution can overcome today's challenges alone.Across the Eastern Caribbean, that reality is evident every day. Small island developing States continue to confront the escalating impacts of climate change through more intense hurricanes, coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, and growing pressures on livelihoods and public finances. At the same time, the Caribbean faces persistent challenges related to food and energy security, inequality, economic vulnerability, and the increasing strain on already limited resources.Yet if there is one lesson that the Caribbean continues to offer the world, it is that resilience is born from solidarity. Time and again, Caribbean people have demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to adapt, innovate, and persevere. Even in the face of adversity, communities come together, institutions collaborate, and partnerships are forged to transform challenges into opportunities.I have witnessed this spirit of cooperation throughout the Eastern Caribbean. Governments, regional organisations, civil society, youth leaders, community groups, the private sector, and development partners are working together to strengthen climate resilience, expand social protection, promote sustainable food systems, and build economies that are more diversified, inclusive, and sustainable.Together, we are advancing human rights, gender equality, and access to justice. We are creating opportunities for young people not only to participate in decision-making but to lead it. We are supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, recognising that the region's future will be shaped by the energy, creativity, and determination of its next generation.These are not abstract goals. They are about whether families can recover after a devastating storm. Whether farmers can adapt to changing climate conditions and secure their livelihoods. Whether young people can access meaningful employment and envision a future in their own communities. Whether every person, regardless of circumstance, can live with dignity, security, and hope.The United Nations is proud to stand alongside the people and governments of the Eastern Caribbean in this work. Our role is not to prescribe solutions, but to listen, convene, and bring together the collective expertise, experience, and resources of the UN system in support of nationally defined priorities. Above all, our commitment is to help translate global commitments into tangible improvements in people's lives. This year's United Nations Day comes at a pivotal moment. With less than five years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the urgency to act has never been greater. Progress is possible, but it will require acceleration, ambition, and above all, partnership.It will require investing in people and communities, strengthening institutions, and expanding opportunities for those furthest behind. It will require unlocking financing that better reflects the unique vulnerabilities of small island developing States, a priority rightly emphasised by Caribbean leaders during the recent session of the United Nations General Assembly. And it will require renewed commitment to multilateralism at a time when global cooperation is needed more than ever.The challenges before us are significant, but so too is our capacity to address them together. The United Nations was founded eighty-one years ago on the conviction that peace, development, and human dignity are best advanced through cooperation among nations. That conviction remains as relevant today as it was in 1945.On this United Nations Day, let us reaffirm our shared responsibility to build a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for all. The Eastern Caribbean has repeatedly shown that when people come together with purpose and determination, extraordinary progress is possible. That spirit of partnership gives us every reason for hope.Happy United Nations Day.

In the days after Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica on October 28, 2025, Shawna Guthrie was focused on getting through the day. There was her family to look after, basic needs to meet and the disruption around her to navigate. Although the storm had passed, she did not yet feel safe.“I was still worried and constantly thinking about what could happen,” she recalled. “At the same time, I still had my everyday responsibilities and couldn't just stop because I was overwhelmed.”Like many Jamaicans affected by the Category 5 hurricane, Guthrie was confronting a less visible consequence of the disaster. The immediate danger had passed, but fear, grief and uncertainty could remain long after the storm was over.“I was trying to be strong and focus on what needed to be done, but emotionally I was tired,” she said. “There came a point where I realized that being strong doesn't mean you don't need help.”Guthrie received Psychological First Aid (PFA) from a trained health worker, who listened to what she had experienced, helped her work through her immediate concerns and connected her with additional support when needed.PFA is a practical approach to helping people cope in the immediate aftermath of a crisis or disaster. It focuses on listening to people’s needs, providing compassionate support, and connecting them with practical assistance or specialised care when needed.Guthrie’s experience was similar to that of thousands of people affected by the hurricane who received psychosocial support in the months following the disaster.“I didn't necessarily need someone to fix everything,” she said. “I just needed someone to understand that I was scared, overwhelmed, and trying my best.”  When the storm is over, recovery continuesDr. Janique Baldwin-Miller, Regional Psychiatrist for the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), saw that need unfolding across many communities including Clarendon, Manchester and St. Elizabeth.“There was shock that such a disaster had occurred, relief that many individuals survived, grief over the loss of property, loved ones, and livelihoods,” she recalled. “At the same time, there was a strong sense of purpose and determination to rebuild stronger communities.”In Jamaica’s southern region alone, an estimated 40,000 people—approximately 10% of the adult population—required PFA. According to the data available up to May 2026, some 27,000 people, or 68% of that estimate, had received support.“With the wide range of emotional reactions that people have experienced, and continue to experience, it is essential that Psychological First Aid provides a compassionate and practical helping hand,” Baldwin-Miller explained. “Individuals can be guided, one step at a time, toward recovery by connecting them with available resources and support systems in a humane and dignified manner.”In the storm’s aftermath, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness, with support from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and partners, organised a series of PFA training sessions for healthcare workers, government ministries and agencies, community organisations and faith-based groups.By the end of February 2026, approximately 4,700 people had received training in Psychological First Aid through various initiatives carried out following the hurricane. These efforts also included a training-of-trainers component and the establishment of training hubs in St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, and St. James to strengthen local capacity in some of the parishes most affected by the hurricane.Through simulations, scenario-based exercises, role-playing, singing and artistic activities, participants practised the core PFA principles of “Look, Listen and Link.”“The PFA trainings have been invaluable because they have simplified and organized how we provide support that is meaningful, evidence-based, and measurable,” Baldwin-Miller said. Support beyond the immediate emergencyWith multiple organisations responding across affected communities, coordination was essential. The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Health Cluster brought together 14 organisations to coordinate services, share information, and respond to mental health and psychosocial needs in affected communities.Supported by emergency funding, including contributions from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), PAHO/WHO also worked with national partners to expand access to mental health support, strengthen local capacity and improve coordination among organisations working in affected communities. But the people providing that support were often experiencing the disaster themselves.“The experience was traumatic for many healthcare workers, and a significant number experienced burnout while simultaneously coping with their own losses and supporting others,” Baldwin-Miller said.This highlighted the need to ensure that emergency mental health responses also protect the people delivering the care. Baldwin-Miller believes the experience has underscored the importance of stronger systems to support frontline workers during emergencies, including external assistance when needed, dedicated periods of rest and recovery, and stronger employee assistance programmes.The experience also showed that mental health must be an integral part of disaster recovery. For people rebuilding their homes, restoring their livelihoods and caring for their families, emotional recovery goes hand in hand with physical reconstruction and can sometimes be essential to coping with the aftermath and gradually returning to everyday life. Nearly a year laterNearly a year after Hurricane Melissa, Dr. Baldwin-Miller sees signs of recovery across the communities she serves.“When I listen to people speak, I hear hope,” Baldwin-Miller said. “I hear individuals saying that despite this disaster, they are picking up the pieces and discovering strengths they did not know they possessed.”For Shawna Guthrie, recovery has also meant recognising that asking for help is part of moving forward. While memories of the hurricane and uncertainty about future disasters remain, she has learned to talk about what she is feeling and seek support when she needs it.“People need support after the cameras leave, and the attention moves on,” Guthrie said. “They need someone to check on them weeks and months later—not just immediately after the hurricane. Rebuilding a home or replacing belongings is important, but rebuilding a person's sense of safety and peace of mind is just as important.”Nearly a year after Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica’s experience shows that recovery does not end when attention to the emergency fades. The response has helped expand the number of people trained to provide support, strengthen coordination mechanisms, and reinforce the understanding that recovering from a disaster is not only about rebuilding what was lost, but also about helping people and communities regain a sense of safety, connection and hope for the future.More InformationMental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies (MHPSS)Virtual course: Psychological First Aid (PFA) in disaster management in the Caribbean - Second EditionVirtual course: protection and promotion of human rights in mental health and psychosocial support in emergenciesVirtual course: Introducing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in emergencies (WHO course)...........................................................................This story was first published by Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)