UN Secretary General Arrives in Barbados Ahead of Official Launch of UNCTAD-15 Conference

Barbados’ Foreign Minister, Sen. the Hon. Dr. Jerome Walcott , the island’s  Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, His Excellency Chad Blackman, and UN Resident Coordinator Didier Trebucq  were among officials welcoming the Secretary General and members of his delegation at the Grantley Adams International Airport, ahead of the October 4 official opening of the  United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD15).

Also arriving for the UNCTAD-15 meeting were Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Mr. Selwin Hart, Assistant Secretary-General, and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action & Ambition for a Green Transition; Ms. Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, Director, Sustainable Development Unit, and other officials from the Executive Office of the Secretary General. Newly appointed CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnette also arrived in the island, and was met by the official welcoming party.   

The conference, hosted by the Government of Barbados, will be held in a hybrid format with events in Barbados, Geneva and across the world until 7 October under the theme “From inequality and vulnerability to prosperity for all”.

On Sunday, the Secretary-General and his delegation are expected to have a full day of engagements, including a youth engagement hosted by the Prime Minister, and an escorted Island Tour with stops at climate impacted areas affected by erosion and land slippage, as well as a visit to a community with houses impacted by the passage of Hurricane Elsa.

The UN Team is also expected to visit UN House later in the afternoon , where they will meet colleagues from the UN Sub-regional Team.

The UNCTAD-15 Conference officially gets underway on Monday October 4 at 9:00 a.m. with Opening Remarks by H.E. Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya, who will be  participating virtually. He will be followed by host the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados who will deliver remarks. The Secretary-General  will be next to address the Conference, and he will be followed by  Secretary-General Grynspan.

Prime Minister Mottley, in her capacity as UNCTAD-15 President, will continue with procedural issues before concluding the official opening. The Secretary General and Ms. Grynspan are also expected to participate in a  World Leaders Summit as well as a Press Conference to be hosted by the Prime Minister.