Caribbean Countries to Benefit from Capacity Building to Align National Priorities with Sustainable Development .

As Caribbean countries work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, nearly 30 government officials and technical officers in Saint Lucia have completed intensive training aimed at strengthening national planning and accelerating sustainable development efforts.

The training, delivered through a National Capacity Building Workshop in Strategic Policy Planning held from 22 to 30 June, forms part of a regional project entitled: “Strengthened capacity to design and implement policies to enhance resilience in Caribbean SIDS” being implemented by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The regional initiative seeks to strengthen the capacity of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to design and implement policies that build resilience and advance sustainable development.

Saint Lucia is one of six Caribbean countries—alongside Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Suriname—benefiting from the initiative. The programme supports decision-makers by strengthening their technical expertise in policy and project development, helping to advance sustainable development, build resilience to shocks, and enhance institutional capacity for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS)

The Saint Lucia workshop brought together senior officials and technical personnel from ministries, departments, and agencies across government. Participants strengthened their skills in strategic policy planning, policy design, monitoring and evaluation, and the assessment of development options to support national sustainable development priorities and improve resilience to future shocks. They also examined practical approaches to translating development priorities into implementable policies and projects capable of attracting financing and delivering measurable results.

Christopher Satney, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Department of Sustainable Development, lauded the session, particularly its practical nature, noting that it would be helpful as his department prepares to shift its strategic planning into high gear. 

“This training was invaluable and extremely useful for my work. I particularly like the practical nature of the sessions where we had an opportunity to apply the skills, principles and strategies to current aspects of our work including our policies and strategies.  We are preparing to develop a Strategic Plan for the Department of Sustainable Development which I will have oversight of. This training has prepared me significantly as I embark on this new initiative.

The workshop also included a two-day working session with participants from the national training course, Project Proposal Preparation and Effective Project Implementation, held from 16–26 September 2025. The session assessed progress in developing project proposals for submission to funding agencies and provided an opportunity to review emerging results.

As a result of the training, government officials enhanced their knowledge and skills in strategic policy planning, monitoring and evaluation of national development goals, and aligning global development agendas with national priorities. This strengthened their capacity to support more effective and integrated development planning. The Saint Lucia training builds on prior initiatives advanced by ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean , in collaboration with the Government of Saint Lucia and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office to  promote an evidence-based approach to development planning and strategic policy making.