Guyana recommits to sustainable development collaboration with UN

The Government of Guyana (GOG) and the UN System hosted a Joint National Steering Committee (JNSC) meeting on December 14, 2022. This engagement is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Government of Guyana and the UN to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Guyana.

The Joint National Steering Committee is the highest decision-making forum, in Guyana, that provides policy guidance on matters pertaining to the UN-GOG Country Implementation Plan (CIP) and its alignment with national development priorities as well as regional and international development agendas.  More importantly, the CIP operationalises the UN Caribbean Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, which was signed on December 10, 2021, in Georgetown.

During the meeting, Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, acknowledged the work of the UN Country Team in collaboration with that of the Government of Guyana. He also highlighted the material support and technical advisory services as the most beneficial types of assistance provided to Guyana over the years. On summing up the Government and the UN’s longstanding collaboration, Dr. Singh reaffirmed Guyana’s continued commitment to working with the United Nations towards the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 

Delivering remarks at the forum Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, highlighted the critical assistance provided by UN agencies to Guyana in some of the most needed times, including during public health challenges, in the fight against domestic violence and other related areas. She called on the UN to continue to provide this assistance and further affirmed that the UN mandate should be aligned with countries’ priorities.

Speaking at the meeting, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms. Yeşim Oruç, stated that the UN system is proud of its cooperation and work with the Government and people of Guyana in all dimensions of Guyana’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and leaving no one behind.”  

“Today, we took stock of our work in 2022. We anticipate great progress towards global targets in 2023. We discussed where and how the technical expertise and multilateral reach of the UN has most to offer towards this progress here in Guyana, regionally and globally,” added Ms. Oruç.

Also participating in person and virtually were Heads and Representatives of UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes.