GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett says there is urgent need to close the emissions gap to maintain global warming to well below 1.5⁰C, and to enhance global advocacy for greater access to climate financing to help Small Island and Low-lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS).
CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett (second from right) and the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the DCO of the United Nations, Roberto Valent; second from left with other CARICOM and US officials.Barnett said the financing will help SIDS address the effects of climate change and respond effectively to loss and damage caused by climatic events, noting also the crucial role of the United Nations to enable strong advocacy on these issues.
Barnett held discussions with Roberto Valent, the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Development Coordination Office (DCO) of the United Nations and according to a joint statement issued afterwards the two officials “talked about their respective organizations' work on a range of development priorities, spanning economic diversification, food security, human services, climate resilience, violence against women and girls, crime and the rule of law.
The statement quoted Barnett as recalling the fruitful discussions CARICOM leaders held at their summit in Suriname earlier this month “and looked forward to further strengthening the relationship between the CARICOM Secretariat and the United Nations Agencies that would redound to the benefit of the peoples of the CARICOM region”.
The statement said that the meeting also discussed the social, economic and security situation in Haiti with the CARICOM Secretary General underscoring the grouping’s unwavering support for Haiti.
She said that CARICOM continues to urge the international community to support Haiti’s long-term development needs and reiterated the support of CARICOM leaders for the renewal of the UN Office in Haiti (BINUH) in Port au Prince with a strengthened mandate taking into account the prevailing security situation, as recommended by the UN Secretary General.
“The UN is committed to supporting the work of regional organizations worldwide, including CARICOM, its Secretariat and its institutions, and of course its member states,” said Valent, noting the presence of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the CARICOM summit.
“Both the CARICOM SG and I know that there is a monumental effort required across the Caribbean to deliver on the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals. The agencies, funds and programs of the UN system are here for exactly this reason.
“Today, we spoke a little bit less about ‘what’ needs to be done, and a little bit more about how we are practically going to strengthen our developmental relationship to accelerate our shared objectives,” said Valent.
The UN’s cooperation with CARICOM centers on several areas including dialogue and development diplomacy mechanisms to elevate the political and developmental concerns and priorities of CARICOM member states, the development cooperation with individual CARICOM member states the development cooperation and support to the CARICOM Secretariat and/or constituent CARICOM institutions and agencies.
