Antigua and Barbuda and UN sign new five-year regional Cooperation Framework

Antigua and Barbuda became the second country  in the Barbados and Eastern Caribbean Sub-region to sign a new United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (MSDCF) for the Caribbean.

The MSDCF , which will govern UN collaboration in the region for the next five years, has also been signed by the Governments of the British Virgin Islands, an overseas territory, and Barbados.

The framework, which will align with individual Country Implementation Plans, will help countries to recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate shocks and other vulnerabilities in a sustainable way, that leaves no one behind.

The new cooperation framework was signed by Antigua’s Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Corporate Governance, Hon. Gaston Browne and UN Resident Coordinator, Didier Trebucq, on behalf of the two parties, during a hybrid ceremony from UN House and the Office of the Prime Minister as well as via zoom.

UN Resident Coordinator, Didier Trebucq, joined by several members of the UN Sub-regional Team, commended the Antigua and Barbudan Government for its substantive contribution to the cooperation framework and for its strengthened partnership with the UN Sub-regional Team.

In delivering opening remarks, minutes before signing the agreement on behalf of the UN Development System, Mr. Trebucq stated: “the UN is very pleased to have arrived at the point where there is a clear roadmap for how the UN will provide support.”

 “Perhaps no previous cooperation framework has been as significant as this one,” he added.

Signing on behalf of the Government, Prime Minister, Gaston Browne stated: “there is a need to build further on the gains made especially on the issue of Governance. Governance is an important issue to ensure resilience.”

He further mentioned: “The work being done by the UN will build on the significant work being done by Antigua and Barbuda. The UN plays a very important role in supporting ongoing national efforts.”

Members of the UN sub-regional team from OCHA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNWOMEN, also participated in the signing ceremony, and offered congratulations to the Government, while giving assurances of their continued support.

The MSDCF identifies four key priorities for achieving resilient sustainable development in the region: increased support to the economic resilience agenda; intensified efforts to ensure realization of human rights for all; strong commitment to enhancing inclusive disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation; and scaled up support to ensure that Caribbean societies remain peaceful and just societies.