Trinidad to host UN-Caribbean Summit charting path to 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

As the Caribbean faces mounting challenges—from intensifying climate disasters to economic uncertainty—governments and UN partners will gather in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 10 December to chart a decisive path forward. The 2025 Annual Coordination Meeting (ACM) represents a key moment to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda and shape the UN’s next phase of development support across the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.

Government representatives from 22 Caribbean nations, regional partners, UN agencies and the UN Development Coordination System will examine the key findings of the UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022–2026 mid-term evaluation and the draft Multi-Country Analysis — essential inputs for the next cycle of UN cooperation in the Caribbean from 2027 to 2031. 

Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, Senator Dr. The Honourable Kennedy Swaratsingh, said the country’s decision to host the 2025 ACM underscores its commitment to regional development cooperation.

“This partnership between the UN System and our Governments has contributed to advancements in a number of key areas in our region,” Minister Swaratsingh said. “The Caribbean is moving to new ground in terms of more inclusive digital economies; innovative solutions for sustainable food production; data and digitisation for social protection; prevention of gender-based violence, as well as concretising steps towards a more sustainable and resilient energy supply. To navigate these successfully, a continued multi-stakeholder approach is important to foster inclusivity, ensuring that marginalised and vulnerable groups are prioritised in our developmental efforts.  The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago appreciates and continues to support the vital role which the UN’s programmes continue to play towards the ambition of an inclusive, sustainable and resilient Caribbean Region.”

As global headwinds intensify — from climate vulnerabilities to economic shocks — the 2025 ACM offers a vital opportunity to adjust strategies and strengthen development cooperation that delivers concrete solutions to sustainable development challenges.

For UN Resident Coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Suriname, Ms. Joanna Kazana, who is also the current chair of the UN’s Regional Steering Committee for the UN Cooperation Framework, coordinated, strategic approaches are a survival imperative for Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean.

“This is the moment for decisive, collective action,” said Ms. Kazana. “Government counterparts are incredibly important in this ACM conversation because they tell us what's really working in terms of development cooperation with the UN system. They are going to come and tell us which areas are a priority, and this principle of national ownership is very, very important even if you have a regional cooperation framework. What the governments will also tell us is what are the priorities at the regional level, what are the joint outcomes they want to see for the Caribbean region, and what are the things that the UN system can do regionally.”

ACM discussions will address cross-cutting, transformative themes such as food systems, gender equality, energy access and affordability, digital connectivity and data, social protection, disaster risk reduction, livelihoods and climate resilience. The 2025 ACM will build on previous deliberations by outlining a future-oriented perspective as the Caribbean enters the final quadrennium to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

“Engagement with Caribbean government representatives during the ACM provides a critical opportunity to ensure that the UN Cooperation Framework and agency country programme documents and strategies continue to reflect government priorities – importantly, their gender equality policy and programmes,” said Head of Office a.i. for the UN Women Multi Country Office – Caribbean, Isiuwa Iyahen. “This way, we can ensure as a UN System, that no one, including women and girls, is left behind.”

“From the ILO’s perspective, the ACM should deliver a clear, shared understanding of the priority areas where UN cooperation can have the greatest impact, particularly around decent work, resilience, social protection, migration, productivity, and inclusive growth,” said Deputy Director, ILO Decent Work Team and Caribbean Office, Noortje Denkers. “This clarity is essential for coherent programming, resource mobilisation, and coordinated technical support in the next UN Cooperation cycle.”

The 10 December meeting date holds special significance, coinciding with International Human Rights Day. The ACM will conclude with a reception hosted by the OHCHR CARICOM Office to commemorate the occasion — a fitting reminder that sustainable development and human rights are inseparable pillars of the UN’s work in the Caribbean.

Media Contact

For more information, contact Faine Richards, Development Coordination Officer (Programme Communications and Advocacy) at the UN Office of the Resident Coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten at faine.richards@un.org