The Hummingbird - December Issue 2024 [vol.11, n.12]

Volume 11 - Issue 12

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January

12

February

16

March

20

April

30

May

36

June

42

July

46

August

56

September

66

October

74

November

About us Issued on a monthly basis, The Hummingbird offers insights into the latest projects, publications, technical assistance missions and research carried out by ECLAC Caribbean. In addition to these, sneak previews are provided of the most salient upcoming events, alongside enriching followups to previously covered issues. With a view to featuring a variety of facets of Caribbean life and lifestyle, The Hummingbird also zooms in on cultural activities and landmark occurrences through an eye-opening regional round-up.

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor: Jabari Fraser Writer: Rachael Amanda Espinet and Jabari Fraser Design and Layout: Liseanne Martin-Subero Please see our contact details on the back cover of this magazine.

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International Days 4 January World Braille Day 24 January International Day of Education 26 January International Day of Clean Energy 27 January International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

Recent Meetings 10 DECEMBER 2024 The Role of Subnational Governments in Sustainable Productive Transformation: Sharing Inspiring Experiences 5 DECEMBER 2024 Webinar "Challenges of NonContributory Social Protection in Advancing Towards Inclusive Social Development" 4 DECEMBER 2024 Sixty-sixth meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

now on instagram!

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ver the course of 2024, we, the Strategic Planning and Outreach Unit of ECLAC Caribbean, have been thrilled to communicate with you on the work of ECLAC Caribbean. We have published 12 issues of the Hummingbird magazine that we thoroughly enjoyed producing for your reading pleasure and information. You have journeyed with us, and we have updated you on the work we have been doing in support of the sustainable development of the Caribbean.

The work of ECLAC Caribbean spans the full range of economic and social research for impact and sustainability in Caribbean Small Island Developing States. We cover the spectrum of Sustainable Development Goals from no poverty to climate action and sustainable cities and communities. The end of the year provides an opportunity to reflect on the work completed and the impact achieved.

We started the year with major viral impact on public and even parliamentary discourse on the economic impact of traffic congestion in Trinidad and Tobago.

In anticipation of the SIDS4 Conference being held in Antigua and Barbuda in May, we were pleased to bring you the highly successful Caribbean-wide Imagine a World Without Islands campaign. It was an effort that involved the United Nations Information Centres (UNIC) for both the Caribbean and the Pacific, to embrace the perspectives of small island states in both regions. Trinidad and Tobago also saw the visit of President of the 78th United Nations General Assembly

Dennis Francis, an engaging mission to his home country in the final weeks of his tour of duty, which officially ended in early September 2024.

The 30th meeting of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) was an important occasion for development cooperation in the region.

It featured rich discussion on important challenges the Caribbean faces, meaningful engagement of Associate Members, and truly indigenous thought on Caribbean development. It was also the occasion of the first visit of ECLAC’s Executive Secretary Jose Manuel Salazar Xirinachs to the Caribbean office. As we go into 2025, we are gearing up to celebrate the golden anniversary of the CDCC. Imagine that 50 years of impact on development in the Caribbean!

In 2025, we commit to bringing you more of the same: interesting articles and appealing design that you have become accustomed to. We will strive to improve and expand our content. Don’t forget to share this magazine and to check out our other publications: The Focus Magazine – a researched, yet reader-friendly magazine on issues of Caribbean sustainable development; ECLAC Series Documents - a series of monographs bringing together documents arising from ECLAC studies and research. Don’t forget to follow us on social media!

Best wishes and continued sustainable development to you and your slice of the Caribbean in 2025!

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NEW ECLAC STUDY EXAMINES TRAFFIC CONGESTION BURDEN ON TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

A DEEPER LOOK Background Vehicular traffic congestion is a phenomenon experienced in most cities and countries around the world. This results in significant direct economic costs, together with greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants, which in turn contribute to major health risks. The study finds that the problem has become a major challenge among Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS), especially in the context of the subregion’s growing urbanization and increasing levels of motorization over the past three decades.

These and other related issues are examined in the recently published study from ECLAC Caribbean . Additional impacts of traffic congestion have also been identified as stress, fatigue and depression among commuters, and is possibly linked to increased anti-social behaviour and diminished road safety.

Trinidad and Tobago had more than one million registered vehicles on the road and an increase of more than 25,000 new cars in 2019. This amounts to a vehicle to population ratio of roughly 0.76.

The challenge, the study finds, is compounded by increasing

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urbanization and personal vehicle ownership, alongside lagging development of public transportation infrastructure.

The road transportation system in Trinidad and Tobago, or the road network, reflects the typical experience of SIDS where their smallness, relatively small population, and limited land resources, pose challenges of economic scale and scope in the development of infrastructure.

The physical geography of SIDS also impacts mobility and choice of transportation since many of these countries are hilly with limited options for expanding public infrastructure.

The study explains that consistent with the distribution of population and the evolved transportation network, the most intense traffic congestion was experienced in the more densely populated areas of the country. “Transit routes along the main north-south highway (Uriah Butler Highway), and the main roadways of the East-West corridor (Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Eastern Main Road, Audrey Jeffers Highway and Western Main Road) endure the brunt of the traffic congestion on the island of Trinidad.”

In the case of Tobago, the study noted that while traffic congestion is comparatively less compared to Trinidad, most traffic congestion is experienced in the SouthWest of the island along Milford Road, and the connecting Claude Noel Highway. “These two roadways form the main arterial connection of the more densely populated southwest, with the island’s capital at Scarborough.

Additional traffic congestion is also routinely observed on main suburb connecting routes such as Scarborough to Calder Hall, and Scarborough to Mount Marie.”

The most important policy implication, arising from the findings, was the level of public sector investment that would likely be necessary to mitigate the vehicle traffic congestion challenge. “An opportunity cost, measured in this instance as a direct economic burden of 1.37 per cent of annual GDP is not trivial, and represents a considerable economic benefit that the country routinely foregoes each year because of vehicle traffic congestion.”

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A HOT TOPIC

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Advancing digital inclusion IN THE CARIBBEAN

ECLAC Caribbean recently convened a virtual expert group meeting (EGM) to discuss findings of a draft study on “Measuring the digital society to advance digital inclusion in the Caribbean”.

The virtual EGM was held in collaboration with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), and attended by representatives from five member States: Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago and one associate member: Turks and Caicos Islands.

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Also in attendance were representatives from the Public Utilities Commission of Anguilla (PUC-Anguilla), Telecommunications Authority of Suriname (TAS), Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of the British Virgin Islands.

Given that the overall objective of the EGM was to review the findings of the above-mentioned draft study, an overview of said study and its methodology was

presented. A senior ECLAC Caribbean representative (former Deputy Director Dillon Alleyne), noted that the study was motivated by previous work conducted on digital inclusion, which highlighted the importance of identifying digital inclusion metrics suitable to the Caribbean.

He noted that the aim of the study was to provide further insight and information to advance the discussion on measurement of the digital society and digital inclusion.

ECLAC’s Senior Programme Management Assistant of the Caribbean Knowledge Management Centre (CKMC) then invited feedback from experts, including the Deputy Secretary-General and Head of Regional Policy Development of CTU. He revealed that CTU has been working on the harmonization of its information and communications technology (ICT) policy among its membership and has recognized a data deficit.

In referring to the vision and roadmap for CARICOM Single ICT Space, he recalled that initial assessments to enable implementation were only undertaken in 2023, due to resource constraints, and that the results are now expected in 2024.

In this regard, he highlighted the importance of identifying priority areas and suitable metrics. Further, he stated that CTU had received calls at the ministerial level for an ICT indicator dashboard to monitor developments in the

region. He affirmed that this context provided the occasion for partnership with ECLAC, since they were also conducting research on ICT indicators.

The representative of the Ministry of Science, Energy, Technology and Transportation of Jamaica recommended that ECLAC and CTU collaborate to establish multilayered capacity-building frameworks for data collection in the Caribbean subregion.

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Rally Round and Invest IN CARIBBEAN WOMEN… NOW! AN OPINION BY DIANE QUARLESS DIRECTOR ECLAC CARIBBEAN

As 2030 looms, women in the Caribbean, as all women around the world, are sadly still far from experiencing the full endowment of gender equality by the year 2030, the globally agreed deadline for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Some 46 per cent of women in a cross-section of the Caribbean still face intimate partner violence; women in the region still struggle with an imbalanced unpaid work burden, especially when it comes to childcare; and globally, at the current rate, it will take 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws against women. It is in that context that the theme for this year’s commemoration is extremely

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important. Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress… now!

To give a concrete idea of how much more deliberate effort and investment is required to achieve gender equality, there is an alarming US $360 billion deficit in gender equality measures that must be addressed. The COVID pandemic placed even greater hurdles for women to clear. ECLAC’s 2023 study on the gendered impact of COVID-19 on paid and unpaid work in the Caribbean showed that women, especially those in the service sector were more affected by job loss. The hospitality, tourism and food services (the lifeblood of our region) were where women felt it most.

At ECLAC Caribbean, we seek to support the region in its effort to achieve gender equality and to provide the statistics and analysis that highlight where we’re falling short. The study also revealed that there are expectations that women should do their part in the workforce while still carrying the burden of unpaid work in the home. Furthermore, women continue to earn less than men for equal work and are more likely to face unsuitable working conditions.

A 2014 ECLAC study advocated that “women’s economic empowerment should become a national priority for all Caribbean governments… There is need for States to comply with their

obligations to end discrimination based on sex, by addressing the disproportionate workload that women undertake in carrying out the duties of unpaid care work in the household, by introducing policies and programmes to measure time use.”

Fast forward to another ECLAC study in 2022 study on gender disparities in education and employment showed that women and girls will only be empowered when they secure equal access to such critical enablers as education, employment, productive resources and political office.

Our 2024 study on the economic impact of traffic congestion in

Trinidad and Tobago saw women respondents outnumbering men 55-39 per cent (the remaining 6 per cent preferred not to state their gender). From those figures, it can be presumed that more women face the inconvenience of traffic, and face losing significant potential earnings because of traffic congestion.

The data and analysis speak eloquently for themselves! As a region, we must continue to work on and use national statistics disaggregated by gender. We encourage the leaders of our subregion to use the resources and support that ECLAC and the wider UN system offer, to strive for gender equality.

International days are moments for reflection, analysis, education and mobilization. On this day, we reflect on women’s challenge, embrace their resilience, and celebrate their ingenuity, determination and achievement.

We stand on the broad, fearless shoulders of the pioneering women who have blazed the trail before us. Women of the Caribbean and the world… big up yuhself!

See ECLAC Caribbean staff talking about women’s issues:

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Imagine a world without Islands

In the context of the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), our campaign challenges the world to grapple with the ominous threat of climate inaction, biodiversity loss, debt and development challenges faced by small, water encircled countries… Can you Imagine a world without Islands?

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Glow UP! A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN ON ISLANDS

BY ISLANDS FOR ISLANDS

T&T star soca singer Mical Teja singing the praises of cultural and natural island treasures… Picture Machel Montano reflecting on the beauty of Caribbean islands…

Internationally acclaimed Caribbean designer Anya Ayoung Chee celebrating the impact of island flare on fashion globally…

Caribbean and Pacific Youth talking about the social, cultural and environmental treasures of their islands… yep! They all featured in the ECLAC and UNIC Caribbean campaign launched in March, called: Imagine a World Without Islands.

This was the first internallyproduced campaign from the Caribbean to be featured in United Nations’ global communication materials. Social Media Assistant at UNIC Caribbean Zico Cozier says,

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“Our campaign emphasized the urgency of addressing these challenges —before it's too late — by highlighting what everyone, everywhere, stands to lose in a world without islands. We leaned on the

voices of island people

across SIDS regions to tell their

own stories and we provided them a global platform to

do so, distributing the campaign material for use across the entire UN System through the United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) in New York.”

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Antigua and Barbuda Representative: ABAS NOT AS AMBITIOUS AS WE WANTED… MEDIA VITAL FOR SIDS

A WEBINAR FOR SIDS JOURNALISTS In the lead-up to SIDS4, regional journalists gathered to discuss issues affecting small island nations, share their experiences covering SIDS, multilateral meetings and climate issues.

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Antigua and Barbuda’s lead negotiator for Small Island Developing States Issues Tumasie Blair has said that the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) is not as ambitious as what islands around the world wanted, but island nations were able to clearly establish their boundaries and demand that they were not crossed. Representative Blair was speaking at the event Eye on Island Issues, a webinar put on

by ECLAC and United Nations

Information Centre Caribbean in the lead up to SIDS4.

Attended by over 50 journalists and media professionals from the Caribbean, the workshop prepared reporters, writers and bloggers to cover the conference.

Commenting on how the ABAS was agreed upon, Representative Blair said, “The negotiation I would say was extremely tough, a lot of battles, I would say, having very

frank, closed door conversations, indicating very clearly that we have red lines as SIDS and… we will not give up until you at least understand where we are, and indicate to us clearly how you intend to assist us getting to where we need to go within the next ten years. The end result was of course, the document wasn’t where we started at, but I think we are leaving the negotiation not 100% happy but satisfied that we were able to accomplish most of our asks. I’d say for example, there’s very strong language on climate finance, access to finance for SIDS.” The Antigua and Barbuda representative highlighted the fact the SIDS’ small diplomatic teams and limited resources mean that negotiating as individual states is

very difficult compared to larger and more developed countries. He also noted that the large countries also have greater influence on media, and that helps push the narrative of the industrial world. “It is important for the media to recognise this… as islanders, we continuously indicate that we are the conscience of humanity. We are the ones who are able to advocate vigorously, our stories are believable… “The media is extremely important in how we try to amplify the voice and how we negotiate as small states.” He also gave reporters tips on how they should stake out at international conferences; to get promises from developed-country-politicians and multilateral partners.

“I want the media, when people are leaving that meeting to approach them and ask them frankly, what are you doing for SIDS? And you get them on record, and this is how we start to hold them accountable.

Quoting them, hear them indicating clearly, that we are going to support SIDS and you follow up continuously, six months later, a year later. Minister, you’ve said this, indicated you’re going to do this.”

In lecture style, ECLAC Caribbean Director Diane Quarless gave an overarching brief on the challenges that small island nations face. She also spoke about the opportunities SIDS have in their resilience, status as biodiversity defenders, solidarity and as leaders in climate ambition.

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“I am thrilled that we have this wide cross section of journalists – the deans and veteran commentators, hungry reporters, broadcasters, bloggers and tiktokers!”

She said the role of journalism and is to report on what is happening on the ground, but also to lead public discussion and thought. She noted that Caribbean newsrooms have human resource challenges and many times, may not have the opportunity to focus on issues of sustainable development. “How do we solve these issues? The discussions must be centred on how to combat the smallness. Organize yourselves into partnerships…

Newsrooms and media owners must forge partnerships among other media owners in the region.

Share the development stories that make the news in Antigua on the Jamaican airwaves. The Lucian marine Instagrammer must do a joint post or a “collab” with the Vincy independent media. I cannot stress enough how important collaboration is.”

Director of UNIC Caribbean Liliana Garavito said the collaboration with ECLAC was important and fruitful and gave regional reporters insight

into SIDS challenges and useful journalistic tips. “We aimed to delve into practical strategies for covering the conference, spotlighting its critical importance and the multifaceted challenges it addresses.

Moreover, we gave participants valuable tools to communicate these messages powerfully through media channels. Central to our discussions was the forward-looking agenda for SIDS, envisioning resilient economies, fostering robust and healthy societies, ensuring sustainability, and catalyzing climate action with requisite financing…

SIDS confront unique vulnerabilities, persisting despite sustained efforts and numerous action programs, as they struggle with the impacts of climate change, natural disasters, and economic instability.”

Presenting on practical tips for reporters at climate conferences, Trinidad and Tobago climate and development journalist Ryan Bachoo shared his experience. “We come from Small Island developing states, our islands are fractions of what their cities are, so you have to maintain blinkers as to what you are there for… be laser visioned as to what you are there for, and the stories that

matter to our people… Let’s find a way to connect our stories with what is impacting our lives around the Caribbean.”

Deandre Williamson, a journalist from the Bahamas “When you cover the daily press briefings, I encourage journalists to ask questions, come prepared to ask questions about what is going on, know the events that took place during the day, know the key negotiations and discussions so that you can be able to ask informed questions. Also, be familiar with the current issues facing SIDS in the Caribbean and around the world.”

Cuba’s Vice Minister of the economy and planning Johana Odriozola was also part of the discussion and said that even though Cuba is a large island, they too face all the other challenges that other SIDS face, including complicated to access to financing. Also presenting was former science and environmental editor of El Espectador (Colombia) Pablo Correa, who spoke about the evolution of environmental and climate coverage.

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SIDS4 – the International Conference on the Future of Small Island Developing States…

RETURNS TO THE CARIBBEAN

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T

heme: Charting the course toward resilient prosperity

Through discussion and resolutions, the conference will assess the ability of SIDS to achieve sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. SIDS are also expected to launch several initiatives that will improve collaboration among themselves, data and resource sharing and partnerships with other states to work towards sustainable development.

read more

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SIDS4: CHARTING THE COURSE TOWARD RESILIENT PROSPERITY FOR ISLANDS...

AND THE WORLD

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The Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) has produced a wide-ranging and ambitious outcome document: the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), which establishes a clear action path for the survival, resilience and sustainable development of small islands around the world.

ABAS is the fourth international agreement on road mapping a sustainable development path for small islands. It follows the Barbados Plan of Action (1994), the Mauritius Strategy (2005) and the Samoa Pathway (2014). It is a long-negotiated document that seeks to address how the small islands of the world can survive while facing the multiple vulnerabilities of anthropogenic climate change, isolation, debt and financing sustainable development.

SIDS Have the Right to Insist on Help At the opening ceremony in St. Johns in May, Prime Minister of host country, Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne said: “This is a crucial gathering at a time of unprecedented global challenges in which SIDS find themselves on the frontline of a battle against a confluence of crises, none of which they have caused or created. Our inherent vulnerabilities characterized by small size, limited financial resources and constrained human capital place us at a marked disadvantage on the global stage, with the scales of equity and justice unevenly balanced against us.”

PM Browne stressed that SIDS are battling multiple crises “none of which they have caused or created”, and progress has been interrupted by the global financial crisis of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antigua and Barbuda has been a key advocate for SIDS in recent years, having held the chair of the Alliance of Small Island States between 2021 and 2022. He stressed that for small

islands to achieve the progress on sustainable development required for their survival,

“The global north in particular, must honour its commitments, including the pivotal pledge of 100B dollars in climate financing to assist with adaptation and mitigation, as well as effective capitalization and operationalization of the loss and damage fund.

These are important investments in humanity, justice and the equitable future of humanity.”

Prime Minister Browne advocated for a global carbon tax to “be levied on these oil companies that are consistently enjoying profits to provide much needed climate financing”.

He said now is a crucial point at which our actions as a global community “and failure to act will dictate the fate of SIDS, as well as the legacy we leave for future generations... The major contributors to climate change have failed to meet the obligations to mitigate its effects.”

He highlighted the SIDS4 launch of the Debt Service Support Initiative for small islands, which calls for the reform of the international financial architecture and will include debt for climate swaps, insurance instruments, SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), green and blue bonds and leveraging of private partnerships to maximize sustainable development.

Secretary General António Guterres said, “Small Island Developing States have every right and reason to insist that developed economies fulfil their pledge to double adaptation financing by 2025. And we must hold them to this commitment as a bare minimum… In the longer term, we are working for deep reforms to the outdated, dysfunctional and unjust global financial architecture.

We need a financial system that puts the interests of developing countries first and is able to work as a global safety net. And for SIDS, that means simplifying processes to access finance. It also means revisiting the rules for access to concessional financing, to include the swift endorsement of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.”

SG Guterres continued, “The foundation of the ABAS is the recognition that the next ten years are critical for SIDS, and that “the economic, social and environmental as well as geopolitical threats to SIDS development are so great that they can only be ameliorated by a reinvigorated enabling environment that gives meaningful effect to their sustainable development.

Without the full support of the international community, SIDS will endure potentially far-reaching consequences.”

Prime Minister of Samoa and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States Fiame Naomi Mata’afa stressed that SIDS should not have to choose between “the recovery of today or the development of tomorrow”. She called on the international community to create an enabling environment that can help small island developing countries tackle the economic, environmental and geopolitical threats to their development. She stressed that “unity is strength and resilience”.

In the ensuing general debate, over 30 high-level speakers — among them Heads of State and Government, most from small island developing States themselves — took the floor to alternately spotlight the unique characteristics of such States, the specific problems they face and the urgent, tailored solutions required to address them.

Many cited the example of recent, devastating landslides in Papua New Guinea in this context, expressing sympathy for those affected and urging international solutions fit for purpose.

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what sids4 means FOR THE CARIBBEAN, ISLANDS AND THE WORLD From the Desk of the Director

It may sound like sacrilege to climate scientists, or diehard COP believers, or even in the United Nations system… but the essential message of International Conference on Small Island Developing States is arguably now more important; more crucial to world survival than the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change. Small island Developing States set the tone and the bar for the world’s climate ambition, they are most realistic about the limits of what every living thing can tolerate when it comes to withstanding extreme temperatures. And they say that the carrying capacity of the world’s ecosystems are already in breach. How the rest of the world treats and cooperates with SIDS is also a true measure of global inclination towards multilateralism and shared solutions for sustainable existence.

It may not seem this way because there is far more global media attention on the COPs. International media, for the large part, ignored SIDS4, even Caribbean media did not cover the Conference in the way it deserved, or even in the way that “think pieces” emerge from the COPs. We hear a lot about the latest climate protest actions from Gretta Thunberg in our media. But, if you think about it, I am sure you did not hear or cannot recall the names of any island youth activist who made their opinion and concerns evident at SIDS4.

There is a lot of duality that comes along with being from a small island. Small Island nations are at once the first and worst symptom-bearers of the climate crisis. The canaries in the coalmine, we say. And we are similarly the most helpless and most resourceful in efforts at adaptation and mitigation. We lack the resources for robust infrastructure, and yet, we are the ones that can lead resilience thinking, science and practice.

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Imagine, the venue of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States took place on the island that boasts one beach for each of the 365 days in the year. There could not have been a more perfect venue, even though there was no beach time. The government and people of Antigua and Barbuda put on a splendid show; they hosted their visitors from across the world with consummate island hospitality. Let’s analyze some of the outcomes of Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States. Since the Barbados Programme of Action in 1994, each new declaration of a vision for SIDS has gained in clarity and specificity, even as the cooperation gap has become wider and weaker. Small island nations need a robust solidarity from the rest of the world; and more urgent input is needed if we are to achieve what was agreed upon. If we take history as our guide, then the global north’s commitments made at the Conference would likely be taken by most SIDS with little more than a few grains of island sea salt. This is not a pessimistic view on the outcomes; it is rather a reality check. The three main initiatives that emerged were: 1. ABAS – The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS – A declaration and framework for action adopted by participating countries that is focused on addressing the range of challenges that SIDS face. It includes strategies for climate change and environmental protection, financial and technical assistance, measures for health and education, interregional SIDS cooperation, among other main areas.

ABAS also challenges the United Nations system to be more effective in its support for SIDS and in its regular assessment of progress.

2. The Centre of Excellence for SIDS 3. The SIDS Debt Sustainability Support Service, which will have four main approaches: a. A multi-layered approach to tackling existing debt which will free up fiscal space for social and economic investment and climate resilience. This could relieve debt burdens by up to 40%, in turn boosting growth. b. Economic shock and threat protection, especially from extreme weather events, combining insurance with other funding mechanisms. c. Encouraging a climate-resilient infrastructural investment through bonds. d. Expert advisory and legal support for SIDS to navigate international debt and finance negotiations.

One of the key approaches in the debt support service is that SIDS will retain leadership and ownership of the initiatives that will influence their future. It is hoped that there will be dynamic and adaptable governance structures that can effectively respond to SIDS challenges.

The Centre of Excellence for SIDS is another potentially great headline initiative. It features a SIDS Global Data Hub, intended to redress the perennial challenge that Caribbean faces as data poor. It will help SIDS improve national data centres for improved decision-making, build capacity, monitor implementation and progress and encourage public, private and international development finance. We embrace these as exciting times for SIDS’ future; a potential point rich with possibility on which we U-turn the bleak existential outlook.

While the ABAS has become a clearer document than that produced at other SIDS conferences as challenges have become increasingly stark, it may not be viewed by many as being as strong as some of the previous SIDS outcome documents.

However, the strength of ABAS lies in the faith invested in partnership, and in the tangible monuments to expressed support embodied in the Centre of Excellence and the Debt Sustainability Support Service. Of

course, the proof of the pudding is always in the tasting; certainly we at ECLAC stand ready to give every support towards ensuring that these initiatives emerge fully baked and very well done. These multilateral conferences come with long lists of side events that take place in support of the main discussions. If the truth is to be told, much of the real wealth of discussion and groundbreaking ideas emerged from the 100+ side events at SIDS4. They must share the success of the Conference; they give hope though the strength of participation and interest expressed at this level.

The Global North’s commitments: 1. The USA announced a commitment to scale-up international public climate finance to over 11 billion annually by the end of this year. Four times the previous amount.

2. The European Union pledged to mobilize 300 billion Euro in public and private investments into sustainable development in SIDS by 2027.

3. The Netherlands, Japan, Qatar, Australia, Germany, France, Portugal and other industrialized countries pledged to increase their funding of sustainable development projects in SIDS or contribute to development financing.

It is important to highlight these commitments because they are the fuel that will make ABAS either a reality or another dream drowning in rising waters. Consider a few historical facts. For years, SIDS have clamoured for recognition and special consideration for sustainable development. This appeal was given short shrift for many years; undermined by middle income status. Then, SIDS have been deservedly advocating for Loss and Damage provisions since 1991; yet the agreement for loss and damage fund was only reached at COP27 in

2022; 31 years later! SIDS cannot afford the wait another thirty years to get climate action escalated for survival. They cannot wait for decades for developed countries to come good on their promises for climate financing and just transition.

And unfortunately for emerging economies, their development as industrialized powers cannot create a new fossil fuelled industrial revolution, as the Annex I countries did before them. How, then, does the world get to net zero emissions, while emerging economy countries explore their right to robust development with their natural resources. We fear that SIDS will face the brunt of that oh-so-difficult reconciliation.

More and more, the Caribbean and global SIDS need to sing in chorus.

Disparate and or occasional voices and efforts do not work. And this clarion call needs must be made at the very highest levels of government.

The voices of technical negotiators no longer carry far enough to make SIDS voices sufficiently influential at such gatherings. The same must apply to COP29. SIDS will need to work the power of their solidarity while negotiating with the Global North. The mechanisms already exist.

CARICOM, the Pacific Islands Forum and other SIDS blocs must empower AOSIS to wrangle the action that they need. Twenty-eight successive COPs have passed, and yet the SIDS are no closer to climate safety; instead, they are sliding ever closer to the point of catastrophe.

There is always a lot of buzz and optimism after these conferences.

Everyone feels energized by the long lists of commitments and agreements. That cloud nine effect is inspiring and intoxicating. Our small island nations must now wave the list of commitments in the air like they do flags in Caribbean parties and demand that the headline performers come good.

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ABAS THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA AGENDA FOR SIDS (ABAS) – A RENEWED DECLARATION FOR RESILIENT PROSPERITY

These are some of the main recognitions and agreements in the ABAS Coming out of SIDS4, ABAS is the main political action plan unanimously agreed upon by the leaders and governments gathered.

Like the agreements that emerged from the previous international conferences on SIDS, it is wide ranging and very ambitious. It sets out the sustainable development needs of SIDS and the support required from the international community to achieve them.

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The ABAS agrees that SIDS need assistance to build resilient economies through improved connectivity and better ecosystems. It notes that SIDS need to foster safe, healthy and prosperous societies through promoting safe communities, inclusive institutions and healthier societies. ABAS recognizes that small islands need urgent support to enhance sustainable energy transition and access to affordable and reliable energy; to develop integrated water resources management; enhanced food security; and improved resilient

infrastructure.

ABAS acknowledges that SIDS are gravely endangered by anthropogenic climate change and need the global community to accelerate implementation of the climate measures in the Paris Agreement. The ABAS also agrees that there must be increased and improved conservation of the ocean and biodiversity. Islands stressed the importance of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, which measures a country’s vulnerability to create a comprehensive and holistic snapshot of its development. The

ABAS encourages international financial institutions to integrate it into their practices and policies.

Importantly, the ABAS agrees to reform of the international financial architecture, addressing gaps and shortfalls to facilitate easier access to affordable concessional finance for SIDS, through the recognition of the multiple risks and vulnerabilities that islands face.

some Headline Initiatives and Commitments from the ABAS - Antigua and Barbuda launched Center of Excellence for SIDS and Debt Sustainability Support Service - USA announces commitment to quadruple international climate finance to over US $11 billion annually by 2024

- The European Union pledges to mobilize EUR 300 billion in public and private sustainable development investments by 2027 - Malta, Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the University of Malta’s Islands and Small States Institute developing a Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Index to work alongside the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.

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ECLAC Entrepreneurship Workshop SKILLWAVE MAKES FIRST STOP

Anita Sullivan is allergic to nickel. She used to model. At fashion events, the accessories she wore triggered an allergic reaction. Within ten minutes, her ear would swell and she would have to remove them.

Nickel is commonly found in costume jewellery readily available on the market. Needing to accessorize, Sullivan started making jewellery out of clay and sterling steel, hypoallergenic materials. Soon, her friends asked to buy her earrings. That was the birth of Amaz’s, her business that creates wearable and fashionable statement pieces with non-toxic materials.

Sullivan is one of 21 entrepreneurs and students who took part in ECLAC Caribbean’s Skill Wave: Workshop for Action, Vision and Entrepreneurship, from July 8-12 held at the Ministry of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives in St Kitts and Nevis.

Through her market research, Anita realized by solving her problem she could help other people with sensitive skin. “Now that I’ve pushed it out to the market, I see how I can help women out there,” she said.

Facilitator Hayden Blades, a Trinidadian business mentor from

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Business Insights, first taught the group to identify their purpose, passion and reason for doing their business.

“We explain to them that this is what you are doing now, and this is why it’s important that they support you in pursuing what has become your passion.

Previously you did other things, and now you are doing this jewellery made of non-toxic materials. So now, does the business idea match the passion statement?” Blades guided Anita, as he explained how to write a business plan.

Small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs) are crucial to the region’s economic development. They generate approximately 40 per cent of the Caribbean’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), yet only 13 per cent of Caribbean SMEs engage in export activities, a major limiting factor to their potential growth.

Skill Wave is part of the Building Back Better initiative to help support SMEs become more resilient to economic shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Access to finance is one of the most significant barriers facing Caribbean SMEs, limiting their ability to tap into international markets and export their products. By teaching the SMEs how to write their business plans and assess their financial projections, they can be better equipped to apply for the necessary funding for expansion.

Laughton Pemberton’s business Pembees Naturally in St. Kitts, sells all-natural fruit drinks, made from local ingredients.

Pembees Naturally became so popular that he expanded to make local wine.

Pemberton’s business perspective was magnified so that he could envision “the bigger picture.” He was taught business expansion, cost cutting while remaining operationally efficient and the possibilities of exporting to a large market.

Annetta Tobiene, the owner of Serenity Mobile Spa in St. Kitts, has a mobile spa that brings relaxation directly to clients’ homes, offices, yachts, and hotels. By attending Skill Wave, Tobiene learned how to do analytics and proper business strategy documents. She also networked with entrepreneurs who sell candles and skin care products she can sell alongside her services, giving her clients a variety of options.

“There were so many things I was not clear about on how to operate my business and how to scale my business…There are so many things they touched on, enlightened me and made me feel that I am in a better position to run my business,” Tobiene said.

Skill Wave is part of ECLAC Caribbean’s broader mission to enhance the economic capacity of vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and people in rural areas, helping them identify entrepreneurial opportunities and manage their businesses more effectively. In this cohort, 82 per cent were women and 18 per cent were men. Twenty of the participants were from St Kitts and one from Nevis.

Challenges Caribbean SMEs face in business operations •

Difficulty Creating Bankable Business Plans: Many SMEs struggle to present business plans with strong financial projections.

•

Knowledge Gap with Lenders: A disconnect often exists between SMEs and lenders regarding the growth potential of small ventures.

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Strict Credit Risk Assessment: Lenders focus on the owner's credit history and assets, overlooking the SMEs' future potential.

With adequate training in record keeping, business plan writing and an understanding of financial presentation, SMEs can better access the funding needed for growth.

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A vision for Just Transition IN THE CARIBBEAN

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C

an you visualize a Caribbean road scene without the

overloaded buses and maxi taxis carrying people and goods from

coasts to island interiors, without some black smoke puffing into the air? How will a transition to renewable energy affect

development, lives and jobs in countries like Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, with mineral and fossil fuel economies, new

and old? Imagine a trip to a typical Caribbean beach scene, without the scent of fishermen’s diesel wafting to your nose as they bring in a fresh catch. There are many mixed implications of our region moving from fossil fuel usage to using renewable, more environmentally friendly fuel.

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A VISION FOR JUST TRANSITION IN THE CARIBBEAN As the global climate crisis intensifies and small islands look to secure their continued existence, the world is seeking to move away from planet-warming fossil fuels. This, however, has follow-on effects for countries that have energy-based economies and for millions of lives and livelihoods around the world.

Therefore, countries around the United Nations table have agreed to pursue a “just transition” to lowcarbon economies. A just transition is one in which there is energy transition; but marginalized groups are not further set back, jobs are not lost, economies do not falter, workers and communities are engaged in the decisions that affect them.

Caribbean development and environmental specialists shared their vision for just transition in the region at an event called Caribbean Climate Talks: Just Transition in the Caribbean – put on

by Climate Analytics Caribbean and the German Embassy in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Panelists included ECLAC Caribbean Director Diane Quarless, Trinidad and Tobago’s Head of Multilateral Environmental Agreements Kishan Kumarsingh, and Director of Climate Analytics Caribbean Rueanna Haynes.

…Just transition cannot be seen as an energy sector issue, nor as an industrial sector issue, but as a whole economy based issue, as low carbon development, is meant to address emissions across all sectors of the economy. As a result, just transition cannot be a sector specific issue in considering strategies to sustainably attain this goal, Trinidad and Tobago faces, the dual challenge of transitioning towards low carbon development, including through an energy transition, while safeguarding the livelihoods of those reliant on traditional industries, particularly in a nation where the energy sector has long been the cornerstone of the economy.

KISHAN KUMARSINGH HEAD OF MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS, MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

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The government of Trinidad and Tobago, through the Ministry of Planning and Development has developed a just transition policy, which outlines the measures to facilitate a smooth and inclusive shift towards a low carbon economy, while diversifying and generating opportunities for the workforce… This policy was guided by principles outlined in the Paris Agreement… A consultation process… The policy was developed with the aim of synergizing the development approach across sectors so as to catalyse our holistic approach to sustainable development, integrating principles of social equity, economic diversification and environmental stewardship. The principles guiding the policy are grouped according to four dimensions. Participation and governance, climate, social and economic, ensuring that the policy provides substantial economic growth opportunities with social benefits… To this end, principled approaches related to retooling, reskilling, reschooling upskilling and redeployment or skill transferability are undertaken. Our next area of Endeavour is to assess green job skills in the transition and so inform training and education initiatives, as we also have to prepare the future Workforce for the new economy.

RUEANNA HAYNES DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE ANALYTICS CARIBBEAN

…I was very glad to hear Kishan mention the just transition policy for Trinidad and Tobago that has been presented in cabinet. We hope that this can be taken forward and form the basis, also, for legislation that would actually allow for a coordinated approach and alignment of this just transition agenda with sustainable development and climate change priorities. Some proposed priorities for the Caribbean as per the Caribbean, climate justice agenda… First of all, the development of publicprivate partnerships to develop reskilling and upskilling strategies, using bottom up and inclusive approaches, just transition policy development, that is coherent with existing climate trade and sustainable development policies, and goals. Regional coordination and collaboration at all levels and this may actually involve the establishment of some type of fora where this issue can be discussed in a joined up manner, as well as participatory monitoring and evaluation to track progress and further reporting in nationally determined contributions and other national communications in support of just transition outcomes.

Transitioning from fossil fuels as you’ve heard from Kishan, and creating a disaster resilient infrastructure and activities entails high up. front costs with long, payback periods, and this mismatch can only be met with a harnessing of suitable financing. Low-cost, long-term, accessible financing for countries that are upper middle, high income countries, not easily accessing concessional financing and yet, we need that kind of financing for investment for long-term investment in adaptation in order to achieve just transition. Of course, finances are only one dimension of the imperative for catalyzing, just transitioning in the Caribbean. Countries in the Caribbean also need to undergo a period of structural change. This is diversification to develop new green industries.

This will require fear and accessible mechanisms for transferring affordable technology from developed countries, capacity building in installation in repair and maintenance of green electricity plants and other systems.

Investment in training and upgrading of skills of the region's workforce.

Moreover, Caribbean countries will need to shift from their current focus on individual projects, and climate aid to a more comprehensive and integrated approach that explores and pursues synergies in sourcing finance and technology on a sub-regional basis. We can't be working in silos. We have got to find ways to work together because the investment, the cost of this transition is expensive and our islands are small. We need to maximize and ensure that there are economies of scale by investing in sub-regional projects among all the countries of the region. It is important to bear in mind that disaster risk reduction and resilience building are also vital aspects of the just transition in the Caribbean.

DIANE QUARLESS DIRECTOR, ECLAC CARIBBEAN

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UN General Assembly President Francis BRINGS HOME THE MESSAGE THAT WE NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

The 78th President of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis is back in his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago as his term comes to an end… and he’s expressing concern that if the world doesn’t get serious about sustainable development, that lifestyles on his islands, and others around the world could become disturbingly different.

“The question of recycling plastics is big, as well, on the agenda, if you know what is happening to our oceans with plastics. If we do nothing or if we continue on the present trajectory, by 2050, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish. So, consider going to the market and buying a five pound plastic rather than buying a five pound King Fish (The Scomberomorus cavalla – King Mackerel, also known as Surmayi is a popular and premium delicacy in Trinidad and Tobago, and other Caribbean islands).

Ambassador Francis has had a career in diplomacy representing his native Trinidad and Tobago for some 40 years. He assumed the position of President of the General Assembly in September 2023, and is due to demit office in September 2024. The United Nations General Assembly (the main policy-making body of the UN, where all 193 members are represented) elects a president annually, to chair and preside over the Assembly. His Excellency Dennis Francis, continues in term as President of the General Assembly until September 2024, when the current session of the General Assembly ends.

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General Assembly President Francis met with a cross section of UN staff in Trinidad and Tobago and reminded them that their mission is vital to the impact of the United Nations, “…as much as we who sit in the house in New York tend to believe that we are at the seat of the UN, the more astute among us know, very well, that the UN’s existence really is in the field.

Close to the people that the UN is intended to serve.”

As he has been known to do over the year of his service to the General Assembly, and the people of the world, President Francis touched on a range of issues, from the war in Gaza, to the lack of progress on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), energy, the climate crisis

and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

On the rush to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, a task on which the countries of the world are desperately behind, he said: “My own take on this, is that the UN had given a commitment in 2015. The United Nations has an obligation. It's a matter of honour to complete the commitment that you gave. So, we are working on that and using the Summit of the Future to get Heads of State and Government to recommit to completing the SDGs and not just recommit by rhetoric, but recommit, in terms of action, deliberate state action… 980 million people suffering from a hunger and poverty in 2024 is not acceptable. It

just is not acceptable when we have the means and the opportunity to do something about it. Particularly when you consider that one, man, a single man can buy one company for 41 billion dollars.”

This year, the world crossed the critical milestone of the midpoint in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To mark the occasion and to reinvigorate the push for sustainability, President Francis championed a UN General Assembly Sustainability Week. He cites it as one of the high points in his tenure.

It included high-level discussions on Tourism, Transportation and Global Stocktaking on Energy.

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Pointing to the blue 1.5°C pin fastened to his jacket’s lapel, he stressed the importance of the temperature increase limit for small islands.

“I wear this every day, it’s a very important message, because there is a lot of pushback on this 1.5. There are people who are talking 2 and 2.5. That will devastate the Caribbean, and the Pacific and the Indian ocean SIDS.” “One point five to stay alive!” is a slogan coined and used widely in islands, activist, youth, climate and diplomacy circles to stress the importance and existential danger of limiting global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees. February 2023 - January 2024 was the first 12-month period to exceed the average 1.5°C increase.

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Speaking seriously to the UN staff keen on his word, he continued, “So politically, this is a crucial and very important message. Otherwise, we’ll all have to develop gills and fins in 20 or 30 years. So, you have to wear it!”

Passionate about sustainable development, especially for SIDS, he said the global concern of energy, and tapering the usage of fossil fuels towards net zero is moving in the opposite direction as coal plants have begun to reappear in Europe. He is concerned that some developed country governments have been reversing their commitments to climate action, “… it certainly imperils, those of us who are already highly vulnerable to climate change like Small Island Developing States and low-lying areas. Infrastructure... you can't

develop an economy without having an enabling infrastructure.

Transportation, same thing. And of course, global debt. Which is a drag, as you know from your work in the regional commission. It's a real drug on development.”

Director of ECLAC Caribbean Diane Quarless and UN Resident Coordinator ad interim chaired the meeting with United Nations staff from Trinidad and Tobago and other parts of the Caribbean. She said President Francis has shown his superior calibre as a diplomat for many decades, as a highly skilled and deft negotiator. She said in the last year, his dynamic and purposeful presidency of the General Assembly has made every Caribbean citizen proud.

She pointed out two standout highlights of his tenure.

“I remember, Ambassador, being rivetted by your words at the opening of Special Session on the Escalation of the Violence in Gaza, when you spoke sternly of violence breeding violence, despair, destruction and the dehumanization of people. Of disillusionment of those who look to the UN as the guarantor of good.

Of each life lost a stain on our moral conscience. It was your efforts to seek resolution in intractable circumstances such as that in Gaza, that attracted the attention of the Vatican and secured an invitation, most recently, for you to dialogue with Pope Francis.” He notes that his position on Gaza has been a tenet of his presidency.

“It is fundamentally your love of home and of all things Caribbean that inspired your initiative to have the Steelpan, the only instrument created in the twentieth century, recognized and enshrined in the house of the United Nations. As you enter the final month of your tenure as President of the General Assembly, 78th session, it is our distinct privilege to have this opportunity to engage with you directly and to hail you as a distinguished son of the Caribbean. We are proud to be giving service to your country even as you have given unstinting service to the world.”

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ECLAC Executive Secretary: RECONCEPTUALIZE ECONOMY FOR IMPROVED GROWTH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN…

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ECLAC Executive Secretary Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs recommends embracing a new vision for productive development policies in the Caribbean.

Executive Secretary Salazar-Xirinachs was delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of the Eighth Caribbean Development Roundtable (CDR) in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Over the course of two days, the CDR featured discussions among 23 Caribbean countries on the topics of confronting climate change; operationalizing the multidimensional vulnerability index; improving access to climate finance; improving productive development policy; and revisiting economic diversification in the Caribbean.

ES Salazar-Xirinachs said many countries in the region have strategies to address development gaps that often fail. “When we look across the Latin American & Caribbean region, we see three development traps: a low capacity to grow trap; a high inequality, low social mobility and weak social cohesion trap; and a low institutional capacity and weak governance trap. The key question is how to get out of these traps.” He suggests that the effective management of these transformations is essential. A major technical capability to be enhanced to facilitate this transformation is data and statistics. He also pointed out that the loss of highly skilled labour through brain drain, in the face of education and training systems which continue to underserve their populations, will need

what is the cdr? to be urgently addressed if the region is to achieve the high-quality learning and competencies needed to promote strong, knowledge-based economies.

“For confronting these and other challenges, at ECLAC we think it is essential to embrace a new vision on how to shape productive development policies.

These policies are crucial for promoting economic dynamism and transformation with three interrelated objectives: first, achieving a more productive economy, that is, a productive system that is more diversified and technologically sophisticated; second, a more inclusive one, in terms of more and better jobs; and third, a greener and more sustainable growth path, because it is also in PDPs that the tools for promoting the green and blue economies lie.”

ES Salazar recalled the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) at which Caribbean states highlighted the urgency of action for scaling up innovative climate financing and the importance of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) as a key tool in sustainable development.

“The diplomacy of small states can be very influential and powerful in all these and other fora and at ECLAC we are also ready and willing to support you on these financing and resource mobilization discussions, as well as on the challenges of productive development and others. The new geoeconomic and geopolitical realities require reevaluating diplomatic strategies, especially for small states, as you must now navigate a web of alliances, rivalries, and conflicting interests in a multipolar world. Do count on us in these efforts.”

The Caribbean Development Roundtable (CDR) is a premier forum for development discussion in the Caribbean.

Policymakers, stakeholders and thinkers present and discuss development challenges and solutions in the Caribbean.

The CDR takes place every two years and precedes the Meeting of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee, ECLAC’s subsidiary organ for the Caribbean subregion.

The development recommendations from the CDR are reported via the CDCC and made available to countries via the resolutions of the Commission.

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T&T Elected Chair 2024-2026 OF CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE

Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, assuming the chairmanship of the CDCC, pondered the climate crisis, a central theme of the discussions this week. “The crisis is not some distant threat; it is unfolding before our very eyes, wreaking havoc on our economies, ecosystems, and the livelihoods of our people… Since those unaffected by our peculiar circumstances are unlikely to effectively champion our cause, the obligation lies with us to affirm our right to equally benefit from the providence of this earth.”

Minister Beckles-Robinson continued, “Let this session ignite a renewed commitment among us to stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow small island developing states, not just within our region, but across the globe. Together, we must confront the challenges before us and forge a path toward lasting, resilient prosperity.”

Outgoing Chair of the CDCC, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation of Suriname Albert Ramdin also focused on climate

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change, noting that damage and loss efforts must be made a high priority for the Caribbean. Looking forward to the upcoming COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan in November, Minister Ramdin said, “We cannot wait three or four years.

The urgency is imminent… Regretfully, countries will have to be frank. Making promises and pledges is not helpful if we don’t deliver on them. I regret that I have to be so frank about it, but it is in the interest of all to make sure that the resources are directed towards the real needs.”

Trinidad and Tobago will chair the CDCC for the period 2024-2026. Also elected to the Bureau of the CDCC were British Virgin Islands, Jamaica and Saint Lucia as vice chairs and Saint Kitts and Nevis as rapporteur. The Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee was established in 1975 and is in its 30th regular session.

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CARIBBEAN

MINISTERS SPEAK

AT THE CDCC

Several ministers and heads of delegation of CDCC countries took the time to discuss the importance of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee and how it has impacted development aspirations and work in their countries. From the margins of the meeting, Chair of the CDCC from 2022-2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Suriname Albert Ramdin reflected on his country’s chairmanship of the Committee; Associate Members repeatedly highlighted the common theme of more inclusive participation in international development and cooperation; and other country delegates spoke about the CDCC’s work almost fifty years after it was created.

ALBERT RAMDIN

SURINAME'S MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, CDCC CHAIR (2022-2024) First of all, it was an honour to chair the CDCC. It’s an important policy, debating, dialoguing instrument for the Caribbean.

Over the past two years, since we became chair, we focused very much on the challenges in the area of climate change and resilience building. We just came out of COVID-19 and rebuilding your economy is critically important. Those were two topics that were really critical for us. Those challenges remain as we go forward on our new chairmanship under the leadership of the Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and those discussions will continue.

Part of our efforts was to connect the Caribbean with the rest of the Americas, especially the countries in Central America and the wider hemisphere, Latin America in general. That is important in the context of creating more opportunities for us from an economic standpoint. Tourism is a critical area for economic activity and revenue generation, so all these issues have been discussed over the past two years. It is an ongoing agenda. It is an evolving agenda.

The CDCC’s relevance in my view is critical because policymaking requires solid analysis, statistical information, data analysis and collection in the first place, so we point to many of our constituencies. We need to work on that, but that information is needed to draft, to craft, the new policies that will take us further. This, the past two days, we have seen critical new elements being put forward. I am pleased to see the new executive secretary of UN ECLAC under which the CDCC falls, is setting out new directions for analysis, but also the focus on some new areas of attention. For instance, the productivity levels in our economies need to expand.

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EASTON TAYLOR-FARRELL

JOCELYN CROES

PREMIER OF MONTSERRAT

DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS, ARUBA

Very exciting, very good discussions. I think the future for ECLAC looks good. Based on the last three days of discussion, we are advancing the process of helping member states to deal with any issues they face. The associate member states have long been lobbying for greater assistance from the CDCC. I think we are getting there. The inclusivity is now greater over the last two meetings, this year and last year, and even for this year, we find there is more accommodation of the associate member states. In fact, if you look at the discussion we had this afternoon, where we were asked to identify the issue that affects us most. It’s the same thing for all of us, whether you are an associate member or an independent member state, we have the same issues, whether it’s climate change or data shortage, the same issues affect them. I think we can benefit significantly, and I think the attitude is there to help us as associate member states to advance our progress. Of course, we are aware that ECLAC is limited in what they can do for us because we don’t benefit from their mainstream funding. What we are lobbying for is the UN to allow ECLAC to be able to use some of their mainstream funding. What we would benefit from is just some side funding. We are hoping that if the UN can change its policy, then we will be able to benefit more from ECLAC and the CDCC.

Being here is extremely important for us as more and more we realize that we need to be more engaged with the region because we share the same realities; we share the same vulnerabilities, and there is no other way than working together to achieve our common goals.

It's always about our people, and I think that essence is forgotten in all these discourses, why we do this, and we share the Caribbean Sea and the people share the benefit of support from the UN system. However, the UN system doesn't approach all the citizens in the Caribbean in the same way. I think for us, as an associate member, it's important to be here, to be part of the discourse and to see how we can better approach our development challenges together with our peers.

I think the message is loud and clear. The associate member states need new assistance. Not necessarily finances, but even technical assistance. We have issues with climate change, the issue of accessing climate financing. I think if we can access those technical resources, the technical assistance, then we are on our way.

You know the associate membership is a difficult situation, but to be honest, it is the only opening we have to the UN system on our own. I think there's a lot of misconceptions about associate members. They think and the multilateral organizations have the perception that we are all equal as associate members. The truth is very different. For instance, in our case, we’re precluded from receiving development systems from the Netherlands.

COVID has made that clear for us. Climate change is here.

Perhaps we're blessed that we have not been as affected as the rest of the region, but we are being more and more affected. Having a tourism-based economy, you just need a little storm that destroys all our vital infrastructure, and there we go. We’re as vulnerable as ever to our external shock, despite bouncing back from covid. So yes, it is imperative for us to have a seat at a table as associate members, but also being treated equally because our people are all equal. We cannot distinguish between people based on the constitutional status we have.

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BENITO WHEATLEY

ALVA ROMANUS BAPTISTE

SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE PREMIER OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, CIVIL AVIATION AND DIASPORA AFFAIRS, SAINT LUCIA

Well, we had the Caribbean Development Round Table for the first two days. That was very interesting. They got into the mechanics of development and the challenges we face across the Caribbean. Of course, ECLAC contributed with their reports to give us some more context for what those challenges are. It's useful to us at this moment because we have to make decisions about our future. It's a pivotal moment. We had the ABAS, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, in Antigua in May. We have to operationalize it. We have to implement it. We also have the Summit of the Future coming up later this month which will talk about a new International Financial Architecture and changes in the international system that needs to be made for the world to be more equitable.

I think the discussions over the last few days have been quite rich. I think emerging out of those meetings are really substantial recommendations that could instigate concrete responses within the decision-making bodies of member states, so there is no doubt in my mind that the meetings over the past three days were just excellent.

It provided an opportunity for people to exchange and discuss ideas in a very progressive way; in an atmosphere that lent itself to constructive discourse and practical commitments.

We've made good progress on the inclusion of the associate members in the activities of ECLAC and the UN system. It's taken a while but we're getting there. Many associate members either have a political status issue because they're not independent or a per capita income issue because they have a high GDP. This is the challenge that we face. Where ECLAC can help is with greater technical assistance and also helping the international system to recognize that despite our political status, despite our per capita income, we have challenges that must be addressed.

We've been trying to coordinate the various associate members so we work more closely together to advocate on this issue. We have advocated in different forms, but it's much more powerful when the collection of associate members speaks with one voice and together. So that's one thing. At the level of the UN system, we are working with UN agencies to look at developing a road map on how we can gain access to development finance and climate finance.

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No doubt, its central objective is to promote and strengthen economic and social cooperation and integration, there are great ideas emerging out of it, exchange of information and I think we achieved that, so it is a series of meetings that could lead somewhere positive in the future. One of the recommendations I made at the meetings is for UN ECLAC to actually engage the member states and see how those recommendations could be mainstreamed in our development affairs. As you know, we embrace sustainable development, and we are keen on pursuing avenues to finance that development.

I think a lot of that emerged out of our discussions over the past three days and this is why I found it quite useful to the member states because they were quite practical, quite relevant and they are applicable to what we want to do and what we want to achieve at the national level.

CAMERON WATHEY

STUART JOHNSON

DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN RELATIONS, SINT MAARTEN

CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRIME MINISTER, SINT MAARTEN

It's important that we know the UN systems and we are aware of the resources available to us as associate members of ECLAC, but also of the UN systems on the whole. We are an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Essentially, we are represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands at UN entities, but that does not necessarily mean we don’t have access to other resources. We want to ensure we are taking full advantage of our membership here at ECLAC, particularly networking with other Caribbean islands, both members and associate members.

Well, you know Sint Maarten is re-engaging here at these sessions of ECLAC, and CDCC in particular, because Sint Maarten has not been an active participant for a number of years. It's of paramount importance that as Sint Maarten, we redefine our membership and expose our membership to the benefits that it has from the organization…

I think it is beneficial to ECLAC to have associate members be represented in an official capacity, including working groups and representation on panels more so, and more representation on the CDCC so we are aware of our issues and our unique status within the Caribbean as associate members, regardless of our political status.

One thing the Sint Maarten delegation highlighted in particular, is the amplification of the voice of the associate members… It is important that associate members are recognized, given the platform, and support and assistance in all facets that are there for our associate membership.

And, you know, in a spirit of camaraderie, Sint Maarten also nominated St Lucia, the Honourable Minister from Saint Lucia, Mr. Baptiste, for one of the three Vice Presidents’ chairs that are there. important going forward, I think, is also to the representation of the entire ECLAC. Also represents the Caribbean region, its physical location in terms of its highest bodies to the Executive Secretary and otherwise must be of the Caribbean region in itself. And I think that is something that going forward, it's a change of the status quo; it's a challenge to the status quo.

We've seen in particular a focus on the Latin American aspect, but as West Indians, as true core Caribbean people, we also must be at the forefront of all facets of the organization.

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The Problem of Urban Sprawl IN JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

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rban centres in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are increasing builtup surfaces at a faster rate than population growth, putting them at risk for a host of sustainable development challenges – including increased flooding and impacts of extreme weather events, higher vulnerability of critical infrastructure to climate disasters, environmental degradation and formation of informal settlements in risk-prone areas.

A new study Urban Sprawl in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago published by ECLAC Caribbean has analysed spatial data from both countries to make recommendations for slowing the rate of urban sprawl – the uncontrolled spread of built-up areas.

read more

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THE PROBLEM OF URBAN SPRAWL IN JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO The study examined spatial data from 2000 to 2020, focusing on Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town and Montego Bay in Jamaica and the east-west corridor (Port of Spain to Arima), San Fernando and Chaguanas in Trinidad and Tobago.

The study concluded that the

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speed of urban change in both countries has outpaced the trends in the rest of the Caribbean, Latin America and globally.

“In the case of Trinidad and Tobago, the baseline year 2000 was already well above the average calculated in the region,” the study reported. “In 2020, it reached the

figures observed in North America and Europe.”

The report also noted that in Jamaica’s Montego Bay, built-up areas grew at a significantly faster rate than the global average in the years 2010 and 2020.

The ECLAC Caribbean study also found that “a more landconsuming development pattern” is evident in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago compared to other Caribbean SIDS.” Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti – three Caribbean countries where populations have grown in the last two decades – were all used as comparisons in the study, but those countries had an increase in built-up areas that is more proportionate to their population increases.

Urban sprawl has implications for policymaking in many sectors. The expansion of impervious surfaces

likes roads and sidewalks in urban centres means climate change and adaptation policies have to address the impacts on freshwater availability, the replenishment of aquifers, rainwater drainage dynamics and flood patterns.

Land use and housing are also affected by urban sprawl, with the study cautioning against the reclamation of agricultural and environmentally-sensitive land for residential and urban development. Alternatively, the study recommends that vacant, underdeveloped and unused lots should be used. Additionally, areas that have been used

almost exclusively for commercial activities should be rejuvenated for mixed-use urban living with green public spaces and recreational facilities.

To better monitor impacts and ensure policies can be responsive to changing needs, the study recommends that countries produce timely geospatial information and statistics on land use and urban settlement. This should go hand-in-hand with expanding analytical capacity within the public service to improve planning and policy decisions.

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RECOMMENDATIONS Some of the urban development policies that the study recommends for more sustainable and compact cities:

Halting the spread of low-density urban settlements to adapt to climate change.

Protect agricultural land and natural habitats to support ecosystems and nature-based solutions.

Develop and enforce land use control in areas around existing urban settlements.

Focus on urban peripheral areas experiencing population growth and increased density.

Urban centers outside capitals that show dynamic boundary growth should require stricter controls.

Dynamic urban centers with boundary extensions need measures to prevent further expansion.

Promote the use of vacant, underdeveloped, and underutilized lots or properties.

Identify suitable areas within existing urban settlements for development.

Avoid reclaiming agricultural and environmentally sensitive areas for urban development.

Rejuvenate innercity areas to attract residents and ensure safety.

Revise zoning and planning laws to encourage mixeduse development in urban centers.

Allocate green public spaces and recreational facilities.

Monitor land consumption at the urban settlement level.

Ensure evidence-based, location-specific climate adaptation policies incorporate urban land use dynamics.

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Strengthen mechanisms to produce and update urban data at sub-national levels.

A LOOK AT THE ECLAC CARIBBEAN SHORT FILM ON URBAN SPRAWL IN JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

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T&T and Caribbean Parliamentarians Urged TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE ESCAZÚ AGREEMENT

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CLAC facilitated a meeting of Trinidad and Tobago parliamentarians which explored how the Escazú Agreement might advance climate effective climate governance. The dynamic exchange brought greater awareness among the lawmakers on the potential of this agreement to empower local communities and enhance the engagement of representative politics in green initiatives.

The Escazú Agreement is an international agreement that stipulates government responsibility in ensuring access to information on environmental issues, emphasizing the importance of public participation in decisions related to the environment, and promoting the rights of that citizens to access recourse and remedy whenever their environmental rights are violated.

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The non-partisan parliamentary caucus brought together both elected and nominated legislators to discuss how they can strengthen access rights and protection of environmental human rights defenders. In their deliberations, they also explored strategies to protect environmental human rights defenders and how they can leverage the Escazú Agreement as a tool for climate governance and environmental democracy in Trinidad and Tobago.

Addressing parliamentarians including opposition senator Wade Mark and independent senator Anthony Vieira on the importance of Trinidad and Tobago joining the agreement, ECLAC Caribbean Director Diane Quarless said the Escazú Agreement provides opportunities for the region to

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improve nature.

its

relationship

with

“Having played a leading role in the negotiation of this instrument, and considering your country’s status as one of the main points of reference in the environmental domain, Trinidad and Tobago joining this treaty should be seen as a natural progression. Certainly we at ECLAC look forward to your taking this important step forward, not just for your own benefit, but for that of the Caribbean as a whole.

For we are stronger together. Let us also take pride in the fact that the Caribbean is in the vanguard of the Escazu Agreement, playing an active, lead role in operationalizing this first environmental treaty of the Latin American and Caribbean region”.

The significance of the Escazú Agreement for the Caribbean region has been recognized by the tremendous buy-in from countries themselves.

Eight CARICOM countries are currently Parties, and two have signed the Agreement.

This means that we are only four countries short of complete Caribbean representation in the Agreement.

Dean of the Engineering Faculty at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Dr. Bheshem Ramlal noted the significance of engaging T&T parliamentarians on the relevance of the Escazú Agreement. He stressed the role it could play in furthering environmental governance.

A professor of geospatial information engineering, Dr. Ramlal highlighted the place of geospatial information

in the Escazú Agreement. He said its powerful mapping capabilities can assist in the management of transboundary environmental resources and threats.

the environment. She told the parliamentarians that it offers Caribbean citizens the opportunity to transform and strengthen their relationships with nature.

“Geoinformatics is a powerful and necessary tool for priority areas such as environmental monitoring, early warning systems, disaster management, combating illegal environmental activities. It also offers the potential of providing online data platforms that can be utilized by the public to raise their awareness on environmental matters, facilitate transparency and an opportunity for their participation in the environmental decision-making in their country.”

Director Quarless underscored that the Agreement could help the region deliver better and faster results when it comes to

“I encourage you to take it to its full potential. The leadership of the Caribbean; your leadership, is more necessary than ever. As we join forces in these troubled times, allow me to express again ECLAC’s unequivocal support of your efforts to achieve sustainable development.

make its tenets compelling and meaningful for all.”

The other collaborators on the parliamentary meeting were the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), University of the West Indies, and Parliamentarians for Global Action.

UN Secretary-General Guterres recently stated, now is the “moment of truth” for climate action and for sustainability. We need to act decisively now. And to do so effectively, we will need to give life and weight to the Escazú Agreement. Let us together

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THE KITCHEN Curry Stew Iguana Here's a recipe for Curry Stew Iguana, a traditional dish popular in some Caribbean and Central American cultures where iguana is considered a delicacy. It’s flavorful, hearty, and rich in spices. If iguana meat isn’t available, this recipe can be adapted with chicken or other lean meats. *In many countries, iguana populations are protected and hunting restrictions apply. Check your local authority for further information.

For the curry stew: • • • • • • • • •

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional) 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch piece of ginger, grated 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 2 carrots, sliced 2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 can of crushed tomatoes)

• • • • • • • • •

1 bell pepper, chopped 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme) 2 scallions, chopped 1 teaspoon allspice (optional, for Caribbean flavor) 2 cups coconut milk (or water/broth as an alternative) 2 cups water or chicken stock 1 Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero (optional for heat) Salt and black pepper, to taste Fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

For the iguana preparation: • • •

2–3 pounds of iguana meat (cleaned and skinned) Juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon Water (for rinsing and boiling)

Instructions Step 1: Clean and prepare the iguana Rinse the iguana meat thoroughly with water and lime or lemon juice. Place the meat in a pot of boiling water and parboil for 10–15 minutes to tenderize and remove any gamey flavor. Remove the meat from the water, let it cool slightly, and cut it into manageable pieces (if not already done).

Step 2: Marinate the meat Season the iguana meat with salt, black pepper, and a sprinkle of curry powder. Set it aside for 10–15 minutes.

Step 3: Start the curry stew base In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the curry powder and turmeric to the oil. Stir for 1–2 minutes until the spices bloom and become fragrant. Be careful not to burn the curry.

Add the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and scallions.

Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent.

Tips: Texture: Iguana meat has a slightly gamey flavor and is often compared to chicken or rabbit. The longer you simmer it, the more tender it becomes.

Heat: Adjust the Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper based on your spice tolerance.

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Step 4: Brown the iguana meat Add the seasoned iguana pieces to the pot. Sear the meat on all sides until it’s lightly browned.

Step 5: Build the stew Add the diced tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, thyme, and allspice. Stir to combine everything. Pour in the coconut milk and water (or chicken stock) until the meat and vegetables are covered. Add the Scotch bonnet pepper whole for flavor, or chop it for extra heat. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6: Simmer and finish Bring the stew to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for 45–60 minutes, or until the iguana meat is tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Step 7: Serve Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Serve the curry stew iguana hot with steamed white rice, dumplings, or roti.

Substitute: If iguana meat isn’t accessible, you can substitute chicken, rabbit, or even goat.

Enjoy your adventurous and flavorful curry stew iguana! It’s a dish packed with tradition and bold flavors.

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CONTACT US CONTACT US

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, 1 Chancery Lane, P.O. Box 1113, Port of Spain,

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago.

1 Chancery Lane, P.O. Box 1113, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.

MEDIA 1CONTACT Telephone: 868 224 8000 Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: registry@eclacpos.org

E-mail: eclac-media-pos@eclac.org

MEDIA CONTACT

Tel.: 1 868 224 8075 E-mail: media-pos@eclac.org

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