Eastern Caribbean States Prepare for XVI Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean
Government
The Ministerial Forum will be held in Barbados on October 31 – November 1, under the theme “Resilience in Action: Social policies to navigate uncertainty in Latin America and the Caribbean”.
The Eastern Caribbean Preparatory Meeting was launched in the presence of Her Excellency Sylvanie Burton, President of Dominica, with the in-person and virtual participation of Ministers and senior personnel for Social Development, Environment and Finance from English-speaking member and associate member states of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), as well as Barbados. The Meeting was opened by the Hon. Dr. Cassandra Williams, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, with the Hon. Kirk Humphrey, Barbados’ Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, giving remarks contextualizing the Meeting ahead of the upcoming Forum.
The Representative of the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Hon. Dr. Irving McIntyre, delivered the feature address. The Minister said, “As we look ahead to the upcoming Ministerial Development Forum, let us leverage this opportunity to collaborate, learn from each other, and work towards a more prosperous and resilient future for all. Together, with the support of partners like UNDP, I am confident that we can make significant strides in achieving our shared goals of sustainable development and inclusive growth.”
During the Preparatory Meeting, senior UNDP specialists facilitated roundtable discussions on resilience and adaptability in social protection and social inclusion; climate vulnerability and social safety nets; digitalization; and financing for social policies. Participants explored innovative approaches to address inequality and shocks, make social safety nets more resilient, and promote inclusive economic growth so they can approach the upcoming Ministerial Forum for Development with greater clarity and focus, as well as examples of success representing the broader Caribbean region.
UNDP Resident Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Ms. Limya Eltayeb, emphasized the importance of clearly articulating the Caribbean perspective, noting this was the first time the Ministerial Forum was being held in-person in the English-speaking Caribbean.
“Social protection and social justice are needed now more than ever to support vulnerable communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, where almost one third of people live in poverty. The high-risk, high-vulnerability communities and nations are those most exposed to the increasing uncertainties of today’s world. For the Caribbean, that includes more frequent and severe climate events, as well as heightened vulnerability to instability and disruptions in other parts of the globe. This Preparatory Meeting for Eastern Caribbean States has been instrumental to current discussions, will inform new policies, and is timely. We are grateful to the Government of Dominica for partnering with us to host this important event. It was a truly collaborative effort, and we anticipate a dynamic Ministerial Forum in Barbados in October.”
The Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean was held for the first time in 2007 with the aim of offering ministers and other decision makers a space to discuss experiences in public policies in the field of human and social development and respond to the new challenges of the region. The last Forum was held in 2023 in Santiago, Chile.