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The Sustainable Development Goals in the Caribbean
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the Earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. The United Nations in the Caribbean is supporting delivery on all 17 goals:
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25 April 2023
Record UN investment in Trinidad and Tobago in 2022
The UN Country Team in Trinidad and Tobago spent a record US $10 million investing in the country's sustainable development in 2022, as it deepens its commitment to post-pandemic recovery and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN in T&T unveiled its 2022 Results Report during a launch event on April 19, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain.
Government partners, donors, international financial institutions, development actors, private sector representatives and civil society groups attended the launch.
"The UN Country Team is accelerating our delivery as we count a mere seven years left until 2030," said Resident Coordinator a.i., Reuben Robertson, during his welcome remarks. "That enhanced delivery is bringing expanded resources with it. These resources are being invested in areas which T&T has deemed a priority: data modernisation, health, education, climate adaptation and environmental management, child welfare, women’s empowerment and agriculture."
During an overview of key deliverables, the UN Country Team revealed that 15 UN agencies conducted projects in T&T in 2022. They spent a total of US $10.01m, up from US $7.82m in 2021.
This funding was spent on a total of 137 activities. The bulk of these activities was concentrated on SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 15 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 1 (No Poverty).
Minister of Planning and Development, The Honourable Pennelope Beckles, reaffirmed Government's commitment to partnering with the UN to shape sustainable development progress.
"The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago commends the UN for its invaluable contributions to the growth and development of our twin-island State. I want to re-emphasise our commitment to sustainable development cooperation with our UN counterparts toward realising Vision 2030, the country's long-term development strategy, and the Sustainable Develppment Goals. I commend you all for the work you have been doing and continue to do."
Major projects highlighted during the launch included:
The development of a renewable energy policy, an accompanying implementation plan including a Feed in Tariff policy for renewable power users to generate their own power and sell excess energy back to the main grid, and the piloting of 12 solar panel installations across T&T;
The installation of 7 stream gauges in densely-populated, flood-prone communities - 5 in Trinidad and 2 in Tobago- alongside the handover of a high speed flood modelling computer for the Water Resources Agency to generate flood model maps within 24 hours;
The launch of a National Children's Registry to monitor developmental milestones among children;
The training of 1700+ Government officials and partner staff on mental health support and social protection;
The development and launch of National Clinical and Policy Guidelines for the healthcare sector's response to gender-based violence;
The development and launch of e-textbooks for every level of primary and secondary school in Math, English and Spanish.
During the launch, the UN Country Team also unveiled a magazine digest of its 2022 Results Report, called Snapshots of Success. The magazine was distributed to all attendees.
As part of the launch, 11 UN agencies and programmes hosted an expo to feature interactive displays of the work they did in 2022.
The full 2022 Annual Results Report can be found here.
This story was first published to the United Nations Country Team website for Trinidad and Tobago. The original publication can be viewed here.
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01 May 2023
UN in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean launches 2022 Annual Results Report
The newly published UN in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean 2022 Annual Results Report on the progress made during the first year of the Multicountry Sustainable Development Framework (2022 - 2026) gives an overview of the collective actions of the 22 UN entities operating in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
This Report not only highlights the key results, challenges and progress made, but also the resilience and indomitable spirit of the Governments and people of the 10 Caribbean countries that the UN in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean serve, and support in the rebuilding process.
While Caribbean leaders must be highly commended for their efforts to combat the residual impacts of the global pandemic with limited resources, recovery during the past year has been impeded by ongoing and emerging threats. These include the debt crisis, climate change, rising unemployment, and the triple crisis of food, climate, and finance, which have worsened inequality, and seemingly placed the global goals even further out of reach.
In response, the UN Team in Barbados, and the Eastern Caribbean, has redoubled its efforts to leave no one behind. Through joint action, innovative partnerships and leveraging regional cooperation, the team has scaled up social protection, extended its footprint in the region, and expanded finance mechanisms to improve the futures of the men, women, and children who call the Caribbean home.
To find out more read the full report, available at the following link.
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Story
01 March 2023
UNESCO supports Caribbean filmmakers' presence at the Berlinale's European Film Market
On 16 February, the European Film Market (EFM), one of the most important international trade fairs of its sector, which takes place during the Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale, opened its doors to representatives of the international film and media industries. For the first time, this edition hosts a stand dedicated to Caribbean cinema. This has been made possible by the support of the UNESCO programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, funded by the European Union.
"Given its history, the Caribbean is a culturally diverse geographic area, which is currently emerging as a cinematic region, not only as a filming location as has traditionally been the case, but also in terms of its rich storytelling. The EFM is proud to host the first ever “Cinema from the Caribbean” umbrella stand, with the support of UNESCO Transcultura programme and the European Union." — Dennis Ruh, Director of the Berlinale’s European Film Market.
Representatives of institutions and festivals from 10 countries in the region are participating in this common space with the aim of promoting the work of young Caribbean filmmakers. Thanks to Transcultura’s support, this edition of the EFM has the largest participation of countries from this geographical area to date. This is the first time that countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Haiti, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname are showcasing their talents in this market. More than 8,000 representatives of the international film and media industries from over 100 countries are expected to attend the market until 22 February.
Training and support for access to international markets
Transcultura is also supporting the participation of five young filmmakers and producers from Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago in the EFM's Toolbox programmes, aimed at under-represented groups in the film industry. These young people received training and mentoring for two weeks prior to the fair. They also have an agenda that has been especially designed to maximize their funding and distribution opportunities for their work.
"In the Caribbean, we have important stories to tell, representing our collective struggles and our creative ambitions. Being in a space like the EFM, where we can meet producers, writers, editors, and from Europe and all over the world is crucial to make our voices heard." — Klieon C. John.
This renowned international festival also runs the talent development programme ‘Berlinale Talents’. For 6 days, with the presence of international artists such as Cate Blanchett, Todd Field or John Malkovich, it organizes conferences and workshops with 40 emerging filmmakers from all over the world. This year, Zenzii Michelle Serieux, a filmmaker from Saint Lucia, is participating for the first time thanks to the support of Transcultura.
Through this partnership with the Berlinale and the EFM, the UNESCO Transcultura programme supports the creation of opportunities for young filmmakers from the Caribbean through the promotion of Caribbean creative talent in Europe, professional mentorship and access to international markets.
This story was originally published by UNESCO and can be viewed here.
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07 February 2023
Caribbean festival performers enlisted in the COVID fight
In Trinidad and Tobago, performers at major cultural festivals have been tapping into traditional art forms to encourage their communities to continue following COVID-19 health protocols as the country lifts restrictions on public gatherings.
The United Nations partnered with Purpose and local stakeholders — such as the Tobago house of Assembly (THA) — through the Verified Initiative to deliver these life-saving messages within the national cultural context. Campaigns were developed around the Hindu celebration of Divali and the first-ever Tobago Carnival.
Tobago Carnival
For performer Kurt Layne, who brought to life the role-play associated with the traditional mas character, Midnight Robber, the opportunity to share his story about staying safe during the pandemic was about more than just a campaign; it was personal.
“My mom had passed away from COVID,” he said. “I would tell anyone, and especially [those] close to me, to always stay on the right track in terms of keeping up with the COVID protocols.”
“Pow pow, I shot COVID dead,” he declared, grabbing the attention of a group of kids with his ‘Robber Talk’.
Draped in the Midnight Robber’s distinctive macabre ensemble that blends influences from film depictions of the American Wild West with West African culture, Layne’s ominous delivery invoked the best of the character’s oral skill and energetic delivery to drive home a message of hope and optimism to his young listeners.
“Join hands with we; each other do their part and for sure, we’ll have a great start.”
Like the Midnight Robber, many of the traditional mas characters found in Caribbean Carnival celebrations are highly anticipated for their unique performance style.
The Dame Lorraine — a temptress with exaggerated voluptuous curves — isn’t associated with verbose social commentary. She puts on her own show, pairing imitative costumery inspired by 18th and early 19th century French plantocracy with provocative dance moves.
Performer Lesley-Ann Ellis played on the attention-grabbing elements of the Dame Lorraine mas to promote continued sanitizing and mask wearing in her own calypso:
“This thing have to end so cough in your sleeve; stay your distance let this virus leave.”
Unlike the Midnight Robber and Dame Lorraine characters - who trace their roots back to Trinidad - the ‘speech band’ is an oral tradition unique to Tobago, where it has been practised since the 1800’s to comment on topical community issues.
Local writer Antineil Blackman, who worked with students of Signal Hill Secondary School in Tobago to prepare their speech band performance, noted that the artform “already has that sense of community within it without even trying to put any emphasis on it.” Signal Hill Secondary School student, Clorysa Gill explained how speech band can captivate a crowd. “[W]hen you say, ‘stop yuh bow, Mr. Fiddler,’ the way you project your voice [and] the tone you say that, that could tell you OK, people listening to my speech now.” It was perfectly suited for community-led messaging on COVID-19.
Gill performed alongside her theatre classmate, Princess Des Vignes.
Divali Utsav, Trinidad
In Trinidad, the Verified team worked with popular chutney singer, Nishard M. to incorporate COVID safety messaging into his special “Divali Utsav” backyard concert staged with other local entertainers on 24 October 2022.
Nishard M. reflected on the lessons of the pandemic experience, particularly during the lockdown when in-person gatherings were not allowed and no on-site concerts were staged.
“It would have taught us not to take certain things for granted,” he said, “but let us also remember not to take COVID for granted because it’s very much around.”
As in Tobago, the theme of community-led messaging from trusted voices was key.
Nishard M. invited his grandmother to join him on stage to wish Shubh Divali to all, and to share this special message:
“Remember as we move forward, please continue to protect your loved ones with vaccinations and continue to observe the health protocols.”
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15 December 2022
Suriname pineapple belt transformation to benefit indigenous communities
In the last few months, aerial landscape images have captured square and round sandy pits dug by rural and indigenous farmer communities. They have been taking part in the first-ever soil tests carried out along the country’s small but vibrant pineapple belt.
“Pineapple is a fruit that the Indigenous people produce for centuries for their own consumption,” notes Gladys Kabelefodi, who has been Captain of Philipusdorp in the country’s Para district for the last ten years. “The knowledge the farmers got from their ancestors. Currently you have farmers that produce for the local market.”
The results taken from samples of the topsoil and bottom soil up to 20-40 cm deep are allowing farmers to make the link between understanding the soil’s fertility and the potential for boosting organic pineapple production in the country.
A project under the global Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA) programme co-led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), is helping Suriname move from being a marginal pineapple producer, using traditional methods, to adopting a competitive business model.
The goal is to increase production ten-fold to 20,000 tonnes a year by 2030 for domestic and international markets thanks to an upgrading of Suriname’s pineapple value chain.
The project run by FAO, UNIDO, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and with USD 2 million in financing from the UN Joint SDG Fund, is bringing on board not only producers, but also processors, traders, input providers, government ministries, research institutes and financial institutions.
In turn, at least USD 10 million a year will be generated from increased fruit and pineapple products and 1,000 new jobs created that will positively impact rural livelihoods. The jobs will span production and processing to trading, inputs supply and support services delivery, with women and young people standing to benefit the most.
Growing investments in modern processing to create higher value-added products will lead to Suriname expanding its exports of both fresh and processed organic pineapples. Plus, closer management of the soil quality will lead to stronger environmental protection in the area.
Now, as Kabelefodi stresses, “farmers are aware that the pineapple can be a source of income. The soil analysis done by the project is important. So, they can know what the conditions are of their soil and which application is needed to improve the soil fertility to produce better plants and fruits for the local and export market.”
Ultimately, the sustainability of organic production all begins with the right soil.
Thanks to the test results, farmers in the project districts know the chemical, biological and physical capacity of the soil, currently showing poor soil fertility with low levels of essential nutrients. This is going to help producers follow tailored guidance on how best to prepare the soil, apply organic fertilizer, use microorganisms and adopt soil conservation practices.
International pineapple expert and agronomist, Freddy Gamboa Quiros, who has been supervising the soil tests explains “the sandy soils in Suriname have favourable conditions for agricultural development [but] we must work to improve the nutritional quality, increase the organic matter content, and always keep the soil covered with cover crops.”
The ambition – which matches all learning under ASTA’s global programme – is to build capacity at country level so that vital tools – starting here with soil analysis – become part of the national system. And to build up agronomist and laboratory capabilities at country level.
As of last month, the extensive soil analysis results are being put into practice in new field trials underway in selected pineapple farms in Suriname’s Para and Marowijne districts.
August Tawjoeram’s farm in Redi-Doti and Desi Tempo’s farm in Moengotapoe are two of those that will see first-hand just how new management practices for organic pineapple cultivation will impact on three plant varieties.
Producers district-wide are now watching the trials closely to see the progress in how the pineapple plants develop, standing ready to apply these new practices in their own plots.
“We are developing a crop management plan with the principles developed in other countries but adapted to local conditions” confirms Gamboa Quiros who is rolling out the hands-on training for producers with ASTA project coordinator, Swami Girdhari.
The training features step-by-step videos of topics including soil fertility management, seed production and mountain microorganisms, alongside other practical tools and methods.
As Gamboa Quiros adds, “we are pleased with the participation of the entire community in all the activities to help us implement and adjust the organic pineapple production model.”
Next, trial results will help to develop the upgraded business model and a best practices growers’ manual and to fine-tune agronomic updates sent via the project’s digital platform.
Soils are at the foundation of agrifood systems that add up to a USD 5 trillion-strong food and agribusiness industry worldwide, but which can break down under pressure from a wide range of shocks and stresses.
The project solutions embedding know-how and capacity for Suriname’s producers to treat soils – in ways not thought of before – are part of a wider transformation of the country’s agrifood system and are building resilience.
Other system-based solutions underway include an innovation hub that will provide the latest technical assistance and a guarantee facility to ease access to credit and de-risk investments into the pineapple value chain. And, now the approach has the potential to be scaled up to more value chains in the country and across the region.
When it comes to promoting healthy food and a better environment – as highlighted by World Soil Day this 5 December – and, as seen in the efforts that are paying off to grow Suriname’s pineapple production, it starts by digging deep into, and taking care of, the soil.
Original article: Digging deep into Suriname’s pineapple belt transformation | UNIDO
For more information please contact:
Rana Fakhoury, Programme Specialist, ASTA, Food Security and Food Systems Unit, UNIDO
Email: r.fakhoury@unido.org Aimée Kourgansky, FAO Value Chain Development Consultant, FAO
Email: Aimee.Kourgansky@FAO.org
Email: r.fakhoury@unido.org Aimée Kourgansky, FAO Value Chain Development Consultant, FAO
Email: Aimee.Kourgansky@FAO.org
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25 May 2023
Caribbean urged to prioritise social justice by ILO Chief
The Director-General of the ILO, Gilbert F Houngbo, has called on Caribbean nations to prioritise social justice, to help address multiple challenges, including climate change, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fallout from global conflicts.
Speaking at the opening of the 12th ILO Caribbean Labour Ministers’ meeting in Georgetown, Guyana, Houngbo emphasised the need to forge a Global Coalition for Social Justice to strengthen global solidarity, policy coherence and concerted action towards strong, sustainable and inclusive development.
“As Caribbean world of work leaders, you each have a vital role to play in forging a Global Coalition for Social Justice, particularly to ensure that realities from this subregion are heard and prioritised,” Houngbo said.
The three-day meeting brings together government ministers, employers’ organisations, trade unions, policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to exchange experiences, share best practices, and discuss innovative solutions.
Under the theme, “Social justice - the foundation for sustainable Caribbean transformation”, discussions will focus on job creation, labour migration, rights at work, social protection, the green economy and the actions that are needed to accelerate social justice and to drive Caribbean development.
Delegates will also examine Caribbean progress on policies for a just transition to sustainable economies, as well as ILO technical assistance for the 2024-25 biennium.
“The topics for discussion are very important and particularly relevant…It is quite clear that they set the framework for future collaboration among Ministries of Labour in the Caribbean,” said the Honourable Joseph Hamilton, Guyana’s Minister of Labour.
The meeting is expected to culminate in the adoption of an outcome document which will outline priorities for strengthening employment, productivity and resilience and the achievement of social justice through decent work.
Local media are invited to participate in an onsite press conference immediately following the closing ceremony on Thursday 25 May at 11:15 am. A post-event press release will be distributed to all media including those based outside of Guyana.
Speaking at the opening of the 12th ILO Caribbean Labour Ministers’ meeting in Georgetown, Guyana, Houngbo emphasised the need to forge a Global Coalition for Social Justice to strengthen global solidarity, policy coherence and concerted action towards strong, sustainable and inclusive development.
“As Caribbean world of work leaders, you each have a vital role to play in forging a Global Coalition for Social Justice, particularly to ensure that realities from this subregion are heard and prioritised,” Houngbo said.
The three-day meeting brings together government ministers, employers’ organisations, trade unions, policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to exchange experiences, share best practices, and discuss innovative solutions.
Under the theme, “Social justice - the foundation for sustainable Caribbean transformation”, discussions will focus on job creation, labour migration, rights at work, social protection, the green economy and the actions that are needed to accelerate social justice and to drive Caribbean development.
Delegates will also examine Caribbean progress on policies for a just transition to sustainable economies, as well as ILO technical assistance for the 2024-25 biennium.
“The topics for discussion are very important and particularly relevant…It is quite clear that they set the framework for future collaboration among Ministries of Labour in the Caribbean,” said the Honourable Joseph Hamilton, Guyana’s Minister of Labour.
The meeting is expected to culminate in the adoption of an outcome document which will outline priorities for strengthening employment, productivity and resilience and the achievement of social justice through decent work.
Local media are invited to participate in an onsite press conference immediately following the closing ceremony on Thursday 25 May at 11:15 am. A post-event press release will be distributed to all media including those based outside of Guyana.
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23 May 2023
Countering the legacy of enslavement with hope and justice
The transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans was a global phenomenon. Beyond its obvious and profound impact on the peoples and countries of Africa, the trade in enslaved Africans also affected the nations of Europe. It created the American States—those of North, South and Central America—and had repercussions for Asia, as well.
As the world’s preeminent international organization, the United Nations is the only institution that can connect the multiple players and partners implicated in the global tragedy of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans. It is thus appropriate and important that an institution like the United Nations take up the legacy issues surrounding the trade in enslaved Africans and centralize the importance of the story.
I’m a product of the 1954 United States Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education, in which the Court found that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, but I started my education in a “coloured school”, because Black children weren't permitted to attend the public schools where I lived.
Lawyers disrupted that reality. They came to my community with the power to enforce the rule of law, even though the majority of the people living there would not have voted to let kids like me into the schools. I was therefore drawn to what lawyers could do to protect disfavoured, marginalized, excluded people, and I went to law school with that objective in mind.
When I finished law school in the 1980s, people in our jails and prisons struck me as the most vulnerable part of our population. The number of people imprisoned in the United States increased from 300,000 in 1973 to 2.2 million in 2009. There were so many people facing execution, including children condemned to die in prison, that I decided to focus on that part of the problem. We continue to do that work.
"In culture, in museums—the realm of public history—I found a powerful opportunity to engage people."
But about 12 years ago, I began to fear that we might not be able to fulfil the promise of the landmark Supreme Court ruling that had created opportunities for me. I sensed a retreat from the commitment to apply the rule of law on behalf of disfavoured people. And that's when I looked to the humanities.
I started to believe that we had to engage in narrative work to begin getting people to understand the context of many of the issues facing Black people in the United States. In culture, in museums—the realm of public history—I found a powerful opportunity to engage people. We started developing scholarship and content on the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, enslavement in America, lynching and segregation, but we also created cultural spaces that would invite people in.
I believe that this kind of invitation to learn and understand is desperately needed if we hope to achieve the level of consciousness around the world that is required to address the legacy of enslavement and the discrimination, bigotry and violence we still see today.
The Legacy Museum
In 2018, the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) opened the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery, Alabama, as a narrative museum. The Museum guides its visitors on a journey, one that begins with the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans. The first thing you'll see in the Legacy Museum is a gigantic wall that represents the Atlantic Ocean.
I grew up on the Atlantic coast in the United States, but it was only when I travelled to Africa and stood on the other side of the ocean that I began to realize the significance of that body of water when it comes to the African diaspora. In the Museum, we explore that history with animation that documents all the ships that transported 12 million Africans across the Atlantic. We dig deep into the location of the ports and the spaces in which people were abducted and held. In one animated video, Oscar-winning actor Lupita Nyong'o narrates the story of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans.
The Legacy Museum also features a lot of art. One exhibit consists of 300 sculptures by Ghanaian artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo that dramatize the humanity of the people who were enslaved. Often when we discuss enslavement, we make it seem so distant, so concrete, that we forget we're talking about people. The Legacy Museum emphasizes the impact of enslavement on its human victims.
The Museum journey leads visitors to a room with more sculptures and images to help people understand the legacy of the harm, the brutality. From there, the Museum sets out the history. It delves into the domestic trade in enslaved Africans in the United States, where a million people were trafficked to the American South.
Next, we examine the economic components of enslavement, which had global implications that we still haven't fully reckoned with. From there we talk about Reconstruction in America and later, lynching, which I see as a direct consequence of this era of enslavement. We discuss the codified racial segregation and racial hierarchy that existed in the United States. Across the globe, the false idea persists that somehow Black people aren't as good as white people. This fallacy hasn't been addressed with the kind of determination and intent that we feel is necessary.
Contemporary issues in context: The killing of George Floyd
One of the great evils of American enslavement was that it created a narrative in which Black people are presumptively dangerous, presumptively guilty, that they are not the same as white people. And that narrative gave rise to an ideology of white supremacy. The North may have won the American Civil War, but the narrative was won by the South because we held on to those ideas of racial hierarchy long after the war ended. This resulted in a century of violent terrorism directed towards Americans of African descent. Black people were pulled from their homes and drowned, tortured and lynched; and our legal system did not respond.
As a result of this legal inaction, we became acculturated to tolerating extreme violence against African Americans who, in most instances, had done nothing wrong. We codified that racial hierarchy, and the presumption of dangerousness and guilt continued even after the passage of civil rights laws in the 1960s. We're still contending with those false, negative presumptions today.
The great burden in America—the reason why so many people took to the streets when George Floyd was killed by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2020—is that you could be a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher, you could be kind and loving, but if you're black or brown, there are places in this country where you have to navigate presumptions of dangerousness and guilt. I'm getting older, and I can tell you that having to constantly navigate these presumptions is exhausting.
This must change. Many of us are calling for a new era of truth and justice in America. Truth and reconciliation, truth and restoration, truth and reparation around this narrative have never been adequately addressed. The police violence that we see today, the bigotry, the presumption that someone in a coffee shop is doing something wrong when they're just drinking their coffee—all of these wrongs are manifestations of a narrative struggle in which we must engage.
This is where culture and art and museums and every institution in the world can play a role. It's when we name and acknowledge the history, and we are intentional about addressing it, that we begin to change the dynamic and create a new era. I am impressed by the Apartheid Museum in South Africa and the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin, which represent a kind of reckoning with difficult histories that we haven't fully undertaken in America, or in many places where the legacy of enslavement is felt.
The role of the United Nations
One of the many tragedies of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans is that people were disconnected from their communities, their tribes, their families and their homes. The rupture was violent, and reconnecting these fundamental pieces of the social structure is thus difficult. If I were to take a DNA test to map my heritage, it would indicate connections to about 16 West African countries.
There must be a more global response to how we recover, how we repair the damage, how we heal from the multiple ways in which wealth and power were built in certain places, and how poverty and destruction and violence were experienced in other places. I believe that responding to the disparity between those who profited and those who were beaten and tormented is the obligation of any just society. It is therefore critically important that the United Nations take on a leading role in highlighting the need for reckoning, for repair, for conversation and dialogue around the multiple ways in which the legacy of enslavement continues to burden us today.
"I could never have imagined, even a decade ago, that we would be able to advance the process of justice as far as we have. And for me, the struggle for justice has always required hope."
Hope and justice
I'm extremely hopeful about the future. The fact that we now have a museum that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and that we're now engaged in narrative work at a high level, gives me a great deal of hope. I could never have imagined, even a decade ago, that we would be able to advance the process of justice as far as we have. And for me, the struggle for justice has always required hope. In fact, I see hopelessness as the enemy of justice; injustice prevails where hopelessness persists. I look to my enslaved fore-parents for that hope because I'm the product of people who were, indeed, burdened and abused and humiliated by enslavement, but who also carried enough hope to find love, to live and create new generations. I am one of their descendants, and I carry the hope of my fore-parents just as I carry an awareness of the trauma and the harm.
I am very hopeful that we're now having conversations in places like the United Nations; that we're having conversations in academic spaces across the globe; that museums, which have long been silent, are now intentional in addressing these histories and realities with care and thought, centring the voices of people who were enslaved. This represents a remarkable step forward, and it gives me even more hope that we can someday arrive at a different reality.
The final point we make in the Legacy Museum is that its purpose is to create a world in which the children of our children are no longer burdened by the legacy of enslavement, no longer face presumptions of dangerousness and guilt. That is our ultimate aspiration, and I will carry it with me until we achieve those ends. I encourage everyone to embrace that same hope.
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The UN Chronicle where this article was first published is not an official record. It is privileged to host senior United Nations officials as well as distinguished contributors from outside the United Nations system whose views are not necessarily those of the United Nations. Similarly, the boundaries and names shown, and the designations used, in maps or articles do not necessarily imply endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
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15 May 2023
UN Chief visits Jamaica, pledges solidarity on regional priorities
The UN chief expressed his “deep solidarity” with Jamaica and all other Small Island Developing States on Monday, outlining what he termed the “moral, power and practical problems” that are preventing the current dysfunctional international financial system from supporting fair and sustainable development.
“We are determined to do our best to correct it and this is the reason of my visit”, Secretary-General António Guterres said at a joint press conference, with the Jamaican Prime Minister, Andrew Holness.
Mr. Guterres also said they had discussed the “tragic situation” in Haiti, that was one of the biggest political challenges facing the whole Caribbean region, praising Jamaica’s involvement in seeking urgent solutions to the crisis there, along with the regional intergovernmental bloc of 15 Member States, CARICOM.
Peaceful invasion
He paid tribute to Jamaica’s ability “to invade peacefully the whole world, with its culture, its music, and its art” over recent decades, proving that diversity in the post-colonial era, can be a “richness, not a threat”, as long as the right policies are adopted.
“We are today facing - when we look at the present international financial architecture - a moral problem, a power problem, and a practical problem”, said the UN chief.
On the moral dimension, he reminded that COVID-19 vaccine development, distribution and recovery, had been dominated by the richer countries, who could print money, while developing countries could not.
He recalled the huge global liquidity problem where skewed international rules meant that injustices were institutionalised, with the least developed countries left to the mercy of borrowing and debt mechanisms, that are outdated and unfair.
Climate frontline
“Small island developing states in particular, have a high level of vulnerability because of the structure of their economies because of their geographic location, their size and because of the enormous impact they suffer in relation to climate change.”
Secondly, he pointed to the old power structures created as World War Two came to an end, at Breton Woods, when countries like Jamaica were still British colonies, without a voice, along with much of Africa.
“And obviously, the structure of what was created, with smaller limitations during the last decades, reflects the power relations that existed after the Second World War. They are outdated and so, the system is unfair and dysfunctional. The system needs reform, to adapt it to the realities of today's global economy.”
And now, he added, there are numerous practical challenges to sustainable and fair development:
“And much more can be done in relation to a better link between climate and finance and the stronger support to adaptation in particular, and in particular, in small island developing states.
Fixing a broken system
A lot more can be done in multiplying the effect of the work of multilateral development banks, if they change their business model - a new approach to risk - and they are able to use their resources to leverage massive access to private finance at reasonable costs for developing countries.”
The UN chief said he would be addressing the G7 this week and the G20, when it next meets, “and insist” that these moral, power and practical dimensions, are properly addressed.
He described Mr. Holness and as champion, “in relation to climate action, and a champion in relation to an effective reformed multilateral financial architecture in the world.”
Salvaging a future for Haiti
On Haiti, Mr. Guterres said the multiple crises of gang violence, a paralysed political system, humanitarian suffering, and rampant insecurity, demand “a much stronger commitment by the international community.”
He reminded of his proposal to the Security Council, which has not yet been taken up, for “an international robust police force to crack down on the gangs, and in parallel with a political process, to create the conditions for a team to be able to address its dramatic situation.”
Jamaica had committed to the idea rapidly, he said, and along with CARICOM, is invested in trying to bring Haiti’s stakeholders together, to find a way forward.
“I want to express my full support to the initiatives of Jamaica and CARICOM. And I want to once again, ask the international community to understand that an effective solidarity with Haiti is not only a matter of generosity, it is essentially a matter of enlightened self-interest. Because the present situation in Haiti reflects a threat to the security of the whole region and further afield.”
This story was first published to UN News and can be viewed here.
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Story
12 May 2023
Jamaica to host UN Secretary-General
They are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including the impact of the climate crisis in the Caribbean and upcoming High-Level discussions on the mid-term review of the global framework for disaster risk reduction. They will also discuss the situation in Haiti as well as ways of involving the international community, including Jamaica’s leadership, in efforts to reform the global financial architecture. Jamaica is co-chair, alongside Canada, of the Group of Friends on SDG Financing.
The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister are scheduled to hold a joint press conference following their meeting, which is to be broadcast on Web TV Monday, 15 May, 2023. The live webcast of the joint press conference is scheduled to begin at 11.45 AM Jamaica time / 12.45 p.m. New York time and can be viewed by clicking here.
The visit was announced 12 May by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, at a press briefing from UN Headquarters in New York.
CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION
Jomain McKenzie
Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Jamaica
jomain.mckenzie@un.org
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Story
04 May 2023
UN Deputy Chief calls on Resident Coordinators in Latin America and the Caribbean to accelerate the SDG Agenda in view of the September Summit
Santiago, April 26, 2023 – In the framework of the Sixth Meeting of the Forum of Latin American and Caribbean Countries on Sustainable Development and her visit to Chile, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, met with UN Resident Coordinators in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC); Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant Secretary-General for Development Coordination Development Coordination Office (DCO); and Roberto Valent, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of DCO. During the meeting, she emphasised the need to work together hurriedly to address the current global crises and the region's main needs. She emphasised that we live in a time in which development has become an emergency.
The reality in Latin America and the Caribbean after the COVID-19 pandemic is a region facing major economic, social, and migratory crises, in addition to a growing impact due to climate change. This has resulted in increased inequality, one of the main historical problems of this area, in addition to food insecurity, migration processes and the relationship with its indigenous peoples.
In this context, the senior official emphasised that "the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) serve as a guide for countries and governments to focus their attention on what really matters to people and the planet in order to urgently focus on ambitious policies that focus on sustainable development”.
Ms. Mohammed also stressed that “the United Nations is essential to bring the world back together, to ensure that no one is silenced, and all voices are heard. For this reason, she called on the UN representatives in Latin American countries to make the most pressing problems of Latin America and the Caribbean heard loud and clear at the Sustainable Development Summit to be held next September". She called for ensuring that the voices of those most left behind are considered in preparing the Summit, particularly those of indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, women, and youth.
During the meeting, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant Secretary-General for Development Coordination, highlighted the relevance of bringing together the Resident Coordinators in such an emblematic place as the urban indigenous community of Mahuidache, since "it helps us to rescue and rethink the sustainable development objectives by putting people at the centre of our attention". The Resident Coordinators at the meeting expressed their concern, highlighting, among other issues, the risk of not achieving the SDGs in this part of the world, at a time when public debt levels limit the capacity of governments to respond. On this topic, they agreed on the need to align the UN's offer of support with the national development plans of the countries it serves, to enhance the 2030 Agenda.
The UN authorities in LAC countries shared the importance of the Coordination Offices, as they play a critical role in facilitating inclusive spaces for consultation among all stakeholders to enable open dialogues on the future with the various actors in society (public, private, civil society, and academia).
For the UN Resident Coordinator in Chile, María José Torres, "having carried out months of participatory work with the multiplicity of representatives from different sectors of society allowed us to validate the process of elaboration and the strategic priorities of the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development in Chile (2023-2026), which we recently signed with the Government".
Pablo Ruiz, Resident Coordinator in Uruguay, endorsed Amina Mohammed's inspiring speech, adding that "in a turbulent world, it is urgent to reinforce the commitment to the SDGs in 2030. In Uruguay, the eradication of child poverty is one of the challenges," he explained.
Ulrika Richardson, Resident Coordinator in Haiti, a country experiencing a profound crisis of violence, stressed the importance of continuing to work in that nation for the region’s stability. The key is to address humanitarian issues without forgetting the structural problems. For his part, the Resident Coordinator in the Dominican Republic, Mauricio Ramirez, pointed out the need to work together between the country teams in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Despite significant delays in the SDG agenda at the global level, during the meeting, it was pointed out that Latin America and the Caribbean is a region of opportunity, and its voice is critical in global forums. Furthering the multilateral and multi-agency focus, the Resident Coordinator in Ecuador, Lena Savelli, outlined "the usefulness of the latest thematic world summits to promote actions, regulatory frameworks, policies and budget monitoring tools".
Closing, Deputy Secretary-General reiterated that the SDG Summit, which is to take place in September during the UN General Assembly, will provide an opportunity for governments to reaffirm their commitments to the SDGs in a bold and transformative way through concrete actions and informed plans: "2023 is a crucial moment to seize the opportunity to take the right direction and do things differently".
In this context, the senior official emphasised that "the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) serve as a guide for countries and governments to focus their attention on what really matters to people and the planet in order to urgently focus on ambitious policies that focus on sustainable development”.
Ms. Mohammed also stressed that “the United Nations is essential to bring the world back together, to ensure that no one is silenced, and all voices are heard. For this reason, she called on the UN representatives in Latin American countries to make the most pressing problems of Latin America and the Caribbean heard loud and clear at the Sustainable Development Summit to be held next September". She called for ensuring that the voices of those most left behind are considered in preparing the Summit, particularly those of indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, women, and youth.
During the meeting, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant Secretary-General for Development Coordination, highlighted the relevance of bringing together the Resident Coordinators in such an emblematic place as the urban indigenous community of Mahuidache, since "it helps us to rescue and rethink the sustainable development objectives by putting people at the centre of our attention". The Resident Coordinators at the meeting expressed their concern, highlighting, among other issues, the risk of not achieving the SDGs in this part of the world, at a time when public debt levels limit the capacity of governments to respond. On this topic, they agreed on the need to align the UN's offer of support with the national development plans of the countries it serves, to enhance the 2030 Agenda.
The UN authorities in LAC countries shared the importance of the Coordination Offices, as they play a critical role in facilitating inclusive spaces for consultation among all stakeholders to enable open dialogues on the future with the various actors in society (public, private, civil society, and academia).
For the UN Resident Coordinator in Chile, María José Torres, "having carried out months of participatory work with the multiplicity of representatives from different sectors of society allowed us to validate the process of elaboration and the strategic priorities of the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development in Chile (2023-2026), which we recently signed with the Government".
Pablo Ruiz, Resident Coordinator in Uruguay, endorsed Amina Mohammed's inspiring speech, adding that "in a turbulent world, it is urgent to reinforce the commitment to the SDGs in 2030. In Uruguay, the eradication of child poverty is one of the challenges," he explained.
Ulrika Richardson, Resident Coordinator in Haiti, a country experiencing a profound crisis of violence, stressed the importance of continuing to work in that nation for the region’s stability. The key is to address humanitarian issues without forgetting the structural problems. For his part, the Resident Coordinator in the Dominican Republic, Mauricio Ramirez, pointed out the need to work together between the country teams in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Despite significant delays in the SDG agenda at the global level, during the meeting, it was pointed out that Latin America and the Caribbean is a region of opportunity, and its voice is critical in global forums. Furthering the multilateral and multi-agency focus, the Resident Coordinator in Ecuador, Lena Savelli, outlined "the usefulness of the latest thematic world summits to promote actions, regulatory frameworks, policies and budget monitoring tools".
Closing, Deputy Secretary-General reiterated that the SDG Summit, which is to take place in September during the UN General Assembly, will provide an opportunity for governments to reaffirm their commitments to the SDGs in a bold and transformative way through concrete actions and informed plans: "2023 is a crucial moment to seize the opportunity to take the right direction and do things differently".
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Press Release
09 May 2023
Haiti: UN Human Rights Chief warns against ‘never-ending cycle of violence’
“Every report I get from Haiti underlines the scale of the suffering, and rams home the message that Haitians need urgent support, and they need it now,” said Türk.
“I reiterate my call on the international community to deploy a time-bound, specialised and human rights-compliant support force, with a comprehensive action plan to assist Haiti's institutions,” he added.
In the month of April alone, more than 600 people were killed in a new wave of extreme violence that hit several districts across the capital, according to information gathered by the Human Rights Service of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). This follows the killing of at least 846 people in the first three months of 2023, in addition to 393 injured and 395 kidnapped during that period – a 28 per cent increase in violence on the previous quarter.
Overwhelmed by the ever-increasing insecurity, Haiti is seeing a worrying increase in mob killings and lynchings of alleged gang members, with at least 164 of these murders documented in April.
“It is the State’s obligation to protect its citizens. People should be able to rely on the police and the judicial authorities to tackle gang violence. But the reality is that the State does not have the capacity to respond. People are thus taking the law into their own hands – but this will only fuel the spiral of violence,” he added.
The UN Human Rights Office and BINUH today launched their quarterly update (January to March), which highlights the emergence of vigilante groups, following calls by some political figures and journalists for citizens to form self-defence organisations to fight gang violence.
The report also underscores that the violence is not only becoming more extreme and more frequent, but spreading relentlessly as gangs seek to extend their control. Areas of the capital previously considered safe, notably Kenscoff and Pétion Ville, as well as the Artibonite department, are now affected.
Among other modus operandi used by gangs, the report identifies incidents of snipers indiscriminately shooting at people on the street or firing into homes, and of people being burned alive on public transport.
"We must not forget that extreme poverty and the lack of basic services lie at the root of the current violence and of the gangs’ power over communities. The Government, with support from the international community, must do its utmost to comply with its obligation to provide people with regular and unimpeded access to clean water, food, health and shelter,” Türk said.
“The current human rights emergency calls for a robust response – urgently,” he added.
To read the full report, please click here.
***ENDS***
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or
Jeremy Laurence - +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
In Nairobi
Seif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org
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Press Release
08 May 2023
Security Council Press Statement on Haiti
The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Haiti. They condemned in the strongest terms the increasing violence, criminal activities, and human rights abuses and violations which undermine the peace, stability and security of Haiti and the region, including kidnappings, sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, homicides, extrajudicial killings and recruitment of children by armed groups and criminal networks. They called on the perpetrators of these abhorrent acts to be brought to justice and emphasised the Council’s role in placing sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions that threaten the peace, security or stability of Haiti, in accordance with resolution 2653. They took note of the Report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/274) dated 14 April 2023, in which he reiterates the request for enhanced assistance to support the Haitian National Police’s efforts to combat high levels of gang violence and re-establish security.
They stressed the importance of restoring efficient judicial institutions in order to strengthen the fight against impunity. They also reiterated the need for meaningful progress into the investigation of the assassination of the President of Haiti Jovenel Moïse.
The members of the Security Council noted with grave concern the illicit trafficking flows of firearms and ammunition that enable gangs and other criminal networks to fuel violence in Haiti. They reiterated the urgent need to prohibit the transfer of arms and related materiel of all types to non-state actors engaged in or supporting gang violence, criminal activities, or human rights abuses in Haiti, as well as to prevent their illicit trafficking and diversion.
The members of the Security Council underscored the necessity for all actors to ensure immediate, safe and unhindered access by humanitarian organisations to permit the equitable delivery of humanitarian assistance to all people in need. They also reiterated the need for the full protection, safety, and security of United Nations and other humanitarian personnel and their assets. They condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure, including those involving health and education facilities, and called for an immediate cessation of all forms of violence throughout the country and for the safety of the population. They emphasised the urgent need to address the loss of livelihoods, food security and nutrition, health security, displacement of residents, and access to social infrastructure.
The members of the Security Council, mindful of the need for security support, reaffirmed their call to all political actors to engage constructively in meaningful negotiations to allow the holding of inclusive, free and fair legislative and presidential elections, as soon necessary conditions are met. They noted the ongoing political process and called for continued progress in the path to restoring the country’s democratic institutions and encouraged efforts to ensure a wider participation in the political process. They emphasised the need to ensure the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and the importance of including youth, persons with disabilities, and civil society in Haiti’s political processes.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their continued solidarity with the people of Haiti. They expressed their support for the work done by BINUH and the United Nations country team towards a better future for Haiti. ***End***
They stressed the importance of restoring efficient judicial institutions in order to strengthen the fight against impunity. They also reiterated the need for meaningful progress into the investigation of the assassination of the President of Haiti Jovenel Moïse.
The members of the Security Council noted with grave concern the illicit trafficking flows of firearms and ammunition that enable gangs and other criminal networks to fuel violence in Haiti. They reiterated the urgent need to prohibit the transfer of arms and related materiel of all types to non-state actors engaged in or supporting gang violence, criminal activities, or human rights abuses in Haiti, as well as to prevent their illicit trafficking and diversion.
The members of the Security Council underscored the necessity for all actors to ensure immediate, safe and unhindered access by humanitarian organisations to permit the equitable delivery of humanitarian assistance to all people in need. They also reiterated the need for the full protection, safety, and security of United Nations and other humanitarian personnel and their assets. They condemned the attacks on civilian infrastructure, including those involving health and education facilities, and called for an immediate cessation of all forms of violence throughout the country and for the safety of the population. They emphasised the urgent need to address the loss of livelihoods, food security and nutrition, health security, displacement of residents, and access to social infrastructure.
The members of the Security Council, mindful of the need for security support, reaffirmed their call to all political actors to engage constructively in meaningful negotiations to allow the holding of inclusive, free and fair legislative and presidential elections, as soon necessary conditions are met. They noted the ongoing political process and called for continued progress in the path to restoring the country’s democratic institutions and encouraged efforts to ensure a wider participation in the political process. They emphasised the need to ensure the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and the importance of including youth, persons with disabilities, and civil society in Haiti’s political processes.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their continued solidarity with the people of Haiti. They expressed their support for the work done by BINUH and the United Nations country team towards a better future for Haiti. ***End***
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Press Release
29 April 2023
The Bahamas’ human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review
GENEVA (28 April 2023) – The Bahamas’ human rights record will be examined by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the fourth time on Wednesday, 3 May 2023, in a meeting that will be webcast live.
The Bahamas is one of 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its upcoming 43rd session from 1 to 12 May 2023. The Bahamas’ first, second and third UPR reviews took place in December 2008, January 2013 and January 2018, respectively.
The documents on which the reviews are based are: 1) national report - information provided by the State under review; 2) information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups, known as the Special Procedures, human rights treaty bodies, and other UN entities; 3) information provided by other stakeholders including national human rights institutions, regional organizations, and civil society groups.
The three reports serving as the basis for the review of the Bahamas on 3 May can be found here.
Location: Room 20, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Time and date: 14:30 – 18:00, Wednesday, 3 May 2023 (Geneva time, GMT +2 hours)
The UPR is a unique process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. Since its first meeting was held in April 2008, all 193 UN member States have been reviewed thrice within the first, second and third UPR cycles. During the fourth UPR cycle, States are again expected to spell out steps they have taken to implement recommendations posed during their previous reviews which they committed to follow up on and highlight recent human rights developments in the country.
The delegation of the Bahamas will be led by Mr. Leo Ryan Pinder, Attorney-General of The Bahamas and Minister of Legal Affairs.
The three country representatives serving as rapporteurs (“troika”) for the review of the Bahamas are Kazakhstan, Paraguay, and Romania.
The webcast of the session will be at https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1y/k1ysyspegq
The list of speakers and all available statements to be delivered during the review of the Bahamas will be posted on the UPR Extranet.
The UPR Working Group is scheduled to adopt the recommendations made to the Bahamas at 15:30 on Wednesday, 10 May 2023. The State under review may wish to express its positions on recommendations posed to it during its review.
// ENDS //
For more information and media requests, please contact Pascal Sim, HRC Media Officer, at simp@un.org and David Díaz Martín, HRC Public Information Officer, at david.diazmartin@un.org
To learn more about the Universal Periodic Review, visit https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-main
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Press Release
24 April 2023
UN system and the Government of Haiti sign a Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. — The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations system in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, and the Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, Mr. Ricard Pierre, signed today, the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development for the period 2023-2027. This new Framework Plan outlines a common vision and strategy for achieving sustainable development over the next five years. It represents a major step in the partnership between the United Nations and the Government of Haiti.
This joint strategy comes at a time when the country is facing the consequences of successive economic recessions, with an unprecedented level of insecurity due to gang violence and more than 5.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. Every day, more and more people are falling into extreme poverty.
This new Cooperation Framework sets out a comprehensive and integrated approach for the long term. It focuses on five priority areas, which were defined through a consultative process with national, public and private partners, as well as academia and civil society
It is a joint roadmap, aligned with national priorities and strategies, and designed to improve the coherence, effectiveness and efficiency of UN support to the Government. Priority areas of work include governance, security and rule of law, inclusive economic transformation, social services and the environment. A results-based management framework will make it possible to monitor progress and measure the impact of interventions and investments.
In her remarks, Ulrika Richardson stressed that the signing of the document marks a new milestone in the common story between Haiti and the United Nations. While commending the Government for its commitment to sustainable development, and for its collaboration with the UN, she also affirmed the UN's commitment to strengthening common approaches based on mutual support between peace, security and sustainable development.
The signing of the Cooperation Framework coincides with the launch of a humanitarian response plan for Haiti in 2023, launched yesterday, April 19, by the United Nations and estimated at $720 million. The response plan calls for helping 3.2 million people facing gang violence, hunger and cholera, among other things. "As the situation in the country rapidly deteriorates, the plan will address the most immediate humanitarian and protection needs," said Ulrika Richardson. Adding, "The Haitian people desperately want peace and security, and we should all support efforts to achieve this."
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Press Release
05 May 2023
Official inauguration of UN House in Belmopan, Belize
This new UN House is located on the second floor of the David L. Mckoy Business Centre, Bliss Parade, Belmopan. The opening was celebrated by the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. John Briceño; and included the UN Resident Coordinator to Belize and El Salvador, RC Birgit Gerstenberg; UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Linda Maguire; and UNDP’s Resident Representative for Jamaica, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos, Ms Denise Antonio. Also in attendance was the Hon. Chief Justice, Madam Louise Blenman, members of Cabinet and members of Parliament, members of the Diplomatic Corps and other government, UN and other partners.
In her opening remarks, RC Gerstenberg welcomed guests on behalf of the UN Family noting this was consistent with the global commitment to a more coherent and efficient UN. She specifically noted:
“In his December 2017 report, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, presented his vision and proposals to reposition the UN development system to better respond to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He noted that the code for achieving the United Nations objectives, it [sic] needs to be nimble, efficient, and effective. It must focus more on delivery and less on process, more on people, and less on bureaucracy.”
Following up with RC Gerstenberg’s remarks, UNDP’s Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Linda Maguire also highlighted what this inauguration means for UN Cooperation,
“The diverse and intuitive interactions among and between agencies provide a platform for enhanced cooperation, problem-solving, sharing of ideas, and piloting of new ways of doing things. The effective cooperation and collaboration among UN agencies, more or less in one space, and with key national counterparts encourage collaborative innovation. Hence, if maximised, the UN Common Premise can be an Innovation Hub for Belize, a laboratory for new and disruptive ways of addressing multi- dimensional development problems.”
UNDP Resident Representative, Denise Antonio noted that the move to the new Common Premises in September 2022 occurred during the 40th anniversary of partnership between UNDP and the Government of Belize and further noted:
“The occasion that we are marking of course is about moving into a new and 'fit for purpose' space that ultimately will ensure that we, the United Nations Agencies Funds and Programs, deliver on our mandate in Belize.”
“We believe that the UN played a great role in the achievement of our sovereignty and territorial integrity. It was in the hands of the United Nations, that we unlike minded nations, who believed in the right to self determination, stood our ground, to achieve our political independence and to ensure Belize's territorial integrity,” Noted Prime Minister of Belize, Honourable John Briceño.
“The UN remains an indispensable partner in the international landscape, as it seeks to accomplish its goal to maintaining international peace and security, promote the well being of the world's peoples and foster international cooperation. As outlined in the coverage of the country implementation plan, UN has always been deemed an ambitious agenda. With those ambitions come expected raised expectations. All government entities expect you to work smart, effectively and collaboratively for the betterment of all beneficiaries. So I wish you success. Know that we appreciate what you all do for all. We look forward to greater cooperation and collaboration as we continue this meaningful partnership.”
In the UN House are the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP UNDP). IOM, UNICEF, UNFPA and PAHO/WHO continue to be housed in Belize City with UNHCR being located on 1 Marigold Street, Belmopan.
•••END•••
For more information, please contact: Mirsy Ponce
The Office of the UN Resident Coordinator 2nd Storey, David L. McCoy Business Centre Bliss Parade, Belmopan (+501)822-2171
Email: rcs-unbelize@un.org
The Office of the UN Resident Coordinator 2nd Storey, David L. McCoy Business Centre Bliss Parade, Belmopan (+501)822-2171
Email: rcs-unbelize@un.org
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