RC Trebucq's Remarks at the Government of Barbados' National SDG Stakeholder Consultation, RIA and SDG Mapping Presentation, and National VNR Validation

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

•    The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley – Prime Minister of Barbados

•    Sen. The Hon. Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office

•    Hon Ministers of government

•    Members of the Diplomatic Corps

•    Senior Government and UN Colleagues

•    Representatives of Civil Society Organisations

•    Online participants

•    Ladies and Gentlemen

I am pleased to join the Government of Barbados at today’s session which represents a progress report on Barbados’ strides towards achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals. I wish to congratulate the Government for its outstanding efforts, which we will soon hear more about.

The UN is indeed grateful for the distinguished leadership and important voice PM Mottley brings to the global debate in support of multilateralism. The Agenda 2030 and the need for immediate action for people and planet.

Halfway through the timeline of the 2030 Agenda, we are leaving more than half of the world behind. The climate crisis is escalating, and continuing to disproportionately affect Small Island Developing States, with inequalities and gender imbalances on the rise. Debt distress has also been exacerbated by successive shocks including the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently the Triple Crisis of food, fuel, and finance, placing the people most at risk even farther behind.

The Sustainable Development Goals – our only comprehensive solution to these crises – are far off track. Globally, we have gone into reverse on more than 30 per cent of SDG targets – including our most fundamental goals of reducing poverty and hunger.  Progress on another 50 per cent is weak and insufficient. 

Let me emphasize, however, that it is not too late to turn the tide. And we are determined to do just that through our support to Barbados and other SIDS in the Eastern Caribbean. 

The SDG Stimulus, the proposed reforms of the global financial architecture spearheaded by yourself PM with the Bridgetown Initiative, the Acceleration Agenda on climate, the Transforming Education Summit, Food Systems transformation, the Global Digital Compact, and the Global Accelerator on Social Protection and Jobs, are just some of the initiatives being championed by the UN, aimed at getting the 2030 Agenda back on track. 

While developed countries have now largely returned to their pre-pandemic trajectory of economic growth, for the most part, developing countries have been unable to do the same.

To compound the situation, vulnerable Middle-Income countries - including Barbados - are denied debt relief and concessional financing; and the Common Framework for Debt Treatment is not yet effectively working. 

Hence developing countries simply cannot afford to further invest in the SDGs because they face a financing abyss.

As a result, the Secretary General has called for an SDG Stimulus – an emergency measure to scale up affordable long-term financing for all countries in need, by at least 500 billion dollars a year. 

Notwithstanding these global challenges, Barbados under the wise leadership of you, Prime Minister, has shown resolve. 

We have taken note of the measures announced in the 2023 national budget and the vision outlined for green transition, building a digitally smart society and Government, transforming the education system, and positioning Barbados as a global logistics hub. Very encouraging progress is also made on transition to renewable energy. These are important commitments for which we stand ready to continue to support.

 Indeed, as we will hear today, the evidence in the Barbados VNR report shows how small states, despite their constraints, are doing their part to deliver results for citizens.

PM you asked me that the UN helps to document SDG progress in Barbados. Therefore we were very pleased that the UN supported through a  Rapid Integrated Assessment,  the extent to which plans and policies are aligned to SDGs; and it shows that Barbados reaches an overall SDG alignment of 90%. 



Furthermore, the UN supported the mapping of SDGs’ implementation across sectors and this highlighted that Barbados is on track with most Goals; having 43 out of 95 targets to be met by 2030, and some others needing acceleration.

We look forward to contributing to closing the remaining gaps.  Vulnerable groups such as youth, women, the elderly, sexual minorities, and People Living with Disabilities must be at the heart of these efforts.

We stand ready to support finalization of the VNR for the July High Level Political Forum.  More importantly, Prime Minister, you can count on our support to help identify the additional measures needed to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2030 ahead of September's SDG Summit.

Best wishes for a highly successful consultation and rest assured of our unwavering support.