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Story
07 April 2024
United Nations Resident Coordinator joins Central Islamic Organization of Guyana in Zakaat donation to UN Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA) to assist Palestinian people in Gaza
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Story
21 March 2024
The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean set new priorities of FAO in the region to transform agri-food systems and ensure food security
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Story
18 March 2024
38 Regional Conference of FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean opens with significant participation of Presidents and Ministers of the Region
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Guyana
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth's environment, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity.
Kindly note that the data visualizations show an aggregate of the Caribbean. To view the disaggregated data for Guyana, please select it from the dropdown menu.
Video
07 February 2024
Programme - Guyana's role on the UN Security Council
In January 2024 Guyana assumed its seat as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term 2024-2025.
Mr. Robert Persaud, Guyana's Foreign Secretary and High Representative for Guyana's UN Security Council Affairs and Yeşim Oruç, UN Resident Coordinator discussed the importance of Guyana's role on the Security Council.
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Publication
20 July 2023
Guyana Second Voluntary National Review of the SDGs 2023
This second Voluntary National Review focuses on an in-depth examination of the country's continued commitment to the implementation of Agenda 2030. It highlights advancements made towards achieving Goals 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17.
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Story
07 April 2024
United Nations Resident Coordinator joins Central Islamic Organization of Guyana in Zakaat donation to UN Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA) to assist Palestinian people in Gaza
The United Nations Resident Coordinator to Guyana, Ms. Yeşim Oruç, has joined Islamic organisations in Georgetown and H.E. Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, at a night of prayer for global peace, Guyana and Palestine.The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), the Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT), the Muslim Youth Organisation of Guyana (MYO), and the Government of Guyana hosted the event at the National Ramadan Village on the occasion of Laylat al-Qadr, or the Night of Power, one of the holiest nights in the Islamic religious calendar.A key component of the occasion was the facilitation of donations to the people of Palestine. Funds raised at the event will be donated to the United Nations Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide immediate humanitarian relief to people in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.Speaking at the event, Ms. Oruç said: “I am humbled to be able to join you in making my own personal Zakaat al fitrah [charitable donation] on this night of reflection and prayer. And I am further honoured to have been asked by His Excellency the President, and Sheikh Moeen al-Hack, Director of CIOG, to facilitate this generous donation to UNRWA, from the people of Guyana, to help alleviate the appalling human suffering now occurring in Gaza.”“UNRWA was established by a UN General Assembly Resolution. It is the backbone of the humanitarian operation in Gaza. No other entity has the capacity to deliver assistance at the scale and breadth that the people of Gaza urgently need. Professional humanitarian workers at UNRWA provide food, water, medicine and shelter to Palestinian people, and the organisation’s work now is more essential than ever.” The UN Resident Coordinator further recalled that on 2nd February, the Government of Guyana made a voluntary contribution to UNRWA of GUY$31 million (US$150,000) at a time when a number of key donors have suspended funding. Ms. Oruç repeated the Secretary-General’s call for governments to resume funding of UNRWA, without which vital operations in Gaza cannot continue.The UN Resident Coordinator reiterated the UN Secretary General’s calls for:Immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza;An immediate humanitarian ceasefire; Safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid and humanitarian workers within Gaza so that aid can be delivered to people in need wherever they are;Full adherence to international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict.About the UN in GuyanaThe UN Country Team in Guyana comprises 10 Agencies with offices in Georgetown, and a further 15 Agencies based outside the country. The UN Resident Coordinator is the highest-ranking official of the UN in the country and leads the UN Country Team. The UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana is Ms. Yeşim Oruç.About UNRWAUNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on. UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees through emergency assistance, and through services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, and microfinance.Online donations to UNRWA can be made here: https://donate.unrwa.org/-landing-page/en_EN
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Story
04 April 2024
The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean set new priorities of FAO in the region to transform agri-food systems and ensure food security
The 38th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean concluded with the unanimous support of the thirty-three member States to the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 and the four priorities that will guide the work of the Organization during the next biennium. The four interconnected regional priorities reflect the Four FAO Improvements, four interconnected dimensions that will contribute to the transformation of agri-food systems through the promotion of more efficient, inclusive and sustainable production; ending hunger and achieving food security and nutrition; sustainable management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change; and reducing inequalities and poverty and promoting resilience. The Director-General of FAO, QU Dongyu, attended the high-level meeting in Guyana. During the closing ceremony, he expressed the importance of this body as a crucial platform for policy makers to accelerate efforts towards the transformation of agri-food systems to make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, without leaving anyone behind.In line with the FAO Strategic Framework, the Director-General expressed the Organization's commitment to supporting Members to foster greater cooperation, investment, innovation and technology, both within and outside the region."I am pleased to note that the four priorities set for the next biennium are in line with the technical and policy assistance we are ready to provide, and FAO remains committed to supporting the region in achieving transformation to achieve sustainable agri-food systems," said QU.During the opening ceremony, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, stressed the importance of the Regional Conference and assured that the creation of climate-resilient and protected agri-food systems is a compelling task for the future, and "decision-making must be based on data as far as possible." He also called for more attention to nutrition.Zulfikar Mustapha, Guyana's Minister of Agriculture and President of the Conference said, "During these days we have addressed issues that are fundamental to our region: fisheries and aquaculture for sustainability; investments for resilience; sustainable and inclusive agri-food systems; reducing hunger and malnutrition through trade as a strategic development momentum in the region, among others." He added that "our work does not end with the closure of this Conference. I urge you to continue to share the reflections, the connections you have made in this Conference, so that our dialogue becomes concrete initiatives that will drive transformative changes in our countries." The Regional Conference also held ministerial round tables focused on how to advance fisheries and aquaculture under the approach of Blue Transformation, harnessing trade as a strategic engine to reduce hunger and malnutrition in the region and address the challenges of the water-forest-living nexus-forests-soil in the context of climate change. The Conference saw participation by representatives from the thirty-three member countries. Eighteen ministers and three deputy ministers attended in person and eleven ministers and five deputy ministers participated virtually. Both the Senior Officials Meeting and the Ministerial Meeting of the Regional Conference were followed by 12,000 persons online, including decision makers and non-governmental actors from academia, scientists, the private sector and civil society. The agenda also included special high-level events focused on how science and digital innovation can boost family agriculture, the need for the transformation of agri-food systems in the region's small island developing States, investment targeting through the FAO Mano-hand Initiative, and the drivers and triggers of the outlook relevant to Latin America and the Caribbean.Brazil to host the next Regional ConferenceDuring the Regional Conference, Brazil announced its decision to host the 39th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean.President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, speaking as President Pro Tempore of the G20, said in a letter, "I am pleased to announce Brazil's willingness to host the 39th FAO Regional Conference in 2026. It will be a unique opportunity to assess our progress and our strategies in food and nutrition security."
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Story
19 March 2024
38 Regional Conference of FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean opens with significant participation of Presidents and Ministers of the Region
The 38 Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) began today in Georgetown, Guyana, with the presence of Ministers and Vice Ministers from all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean at the Arthur Chang Conference Centre.The President of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and the Director-General of FAO, Qu Dongyu, inaugurated the meeting."You have big potential to accelerate progress and to do even more with less within and outside your region," said Qu, noting the Region boasts a large share of the world's biodiversity and water resources and accounts for 13 percent of global food production and 45 percent of net international trade in agrifood products. He also noted that, although the Region is a net food exporter, the reliance on commodity imports and exports exposes its agrifood systems to macroeconomic volatility, global geopolitical instability, and climate change, which in turn negatively impact food prices and incomes and lead to unfavorable food security and nutrition outcomes.Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, said that creating resilient and climate-protected agrifood systems is an imperative task going forward, and "decision making must be data driven as far as possible," he said. He also called for a greater focus on nutrition, calling for a shift "back to the bowl from the box."During the ceremony, Xiomara Castro, President of Honduras, as President pro tempore of CELAC, sent a message through a video highlighting the approval of the CELAC plan for Food Security, nutrition, and eradication of hunger. "Although the approval of this plan marks a significant milestone, the real challenge lies in its effective implementation by our governments. In this regard, the FAO Regional Conference offers us an invaluable opportunity to examine the actions required and our capacities and needs carefully".Also, Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, as President pro tempore of G-20, sent a letter to address the Conference. "We cannot compromise with hunger. It is necessary to act with determination and speed, which is why we have chosen the issue as one of the priorities of the Brazilian presidency of the G20", said da Silva. He added: I thank FAO for the work carried out in our countries and for the constant partnership and collaboration with the Brazilian government to promote food and nutrition security on several fronts.Priorities for the next bienniumDuring the next three days, the Ministers and Vice ministers will engage in political dialogue on issues related to the Organization's mandate, which stem from regional situations and priorities, and at the global level.During the sessions, the authorities will ratify the regional priorities for the next biennium, discussed during the Senior Officer Meeting held 11-13 March, which had 339 participants from the Region's 33 member states.The priorities reflect the Four Betters of FAO's Strategic Framework: Better production, Better nutrition, Better environment and Better life. These are interconnected dimensions that contribute to the transformation of agrifood systems through efficient, inclusive, and sustainable production; ending hunger and achieving food security and nutrition; sustainable management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change; and reducing inequalities and poverty and promoting resilience.
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Story
14 March 2024
A community bakery provides economic opportunities for families and increases local production
In 2021, a group of women opened a bakery in Kumaka, located in region 1, with the support of the Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development Project (HESAD), funded by the United Nation's International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).Rachel Francis, who heads the group, shared that the community used to receive fresh bread from Georgetown only on Mondays and Fridays. They turned necessity into opportunity and saw the potential to create a small business. HESAD supported the construction and furnishing of this small enterprise. "Now, we bake bread so people can enjoy it every day," she stated. They bake a variety of breads, buns, butter flaps, and tennis rolls. They typically sell around 200 units of bread in a regular week, but sometimes they have wholesale customers, which increases sales.Before starting the business, the women were focused on household activities. Now, they manage a small business that provides income for their families directly and contributes to the local economy through their suppliers, while serving fresh bread to the community every day.
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Story
08 March 2024
International Women's Day Film Screening and Panel Discussion
In observance of International Women’s Day, the United Nations in Guyana hosted a film screening of 'Hidden Letters', followed by a panel discussion.During her welcome remarks Yeşim Oruç, UN Resident Coordinator highlighted that "Guyana takes its international human rights treaty responsibilities seriously." She said, "There is active engagement of the State Party and of Guyana’s many civil society actors with the UN’s human rights architecture." She noted that there is need for continued investments in women, which need to be collaborative and holistic. she recognised the role of women's organisations and national women's machineries in addressing women's rights in Guyana.'Hidden Letters' follows two millennial Chinese women who are connected by their fascination with the centuries-old Nushu and their desire to protect its legacy. Inspired by Nushu’s power for female solidarity, the two women struggle to find balance as they forge their own paths out of patriarchy and subservience to men. The discussion after the film, under the theme ‘Invest in women: breaking down norms and building inclusive societies’, focused on sisterhood, patriarchal structures, and new and ongoing challenges to women’s rights. Panelists were Kobe Smith, Interim Executive Director, Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association; Renata Chuck-A-Sang, CEO, Women and Gender Equality Commission - Guyana and Ayo Dalgety-Dean, Founder and Managing Director, Blossom Inc. Inc. The UN Resident Coordinator moderated the conversations. In attendance were the UN System's partners from government, youth organisations, civil society organisations, academia, among others.The event formed part of the global Human Rights 75 Film Tour, a collaboration between the International Film Festival and Forum for Human Rights (FIDFH) and United Nations Human Rights.Festival FIFDH Geneva
The International Film Festival and Forum for Human Rights (FIFDH) has been committed to cinema and to respecting human rights. Each year, in the heart of international Geneva and in parallel with the main session
of the UN Human Rights Council, the Festival presents films and debates that highlight struggles and denounce violations wherever they may occur.
The International Film Festival and Forum for Human Rights (FIFDH) has been committed to cinema and to respecting human rights. Each year, in the heart of international Geneva and in parallel with the main session
of the UN Human Rights Council, the Festival presents films and debates that highlight struggles and denounce violations wherever they may occur.
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Press Release
08 September 2023
UN Secretary-General Issues ‘UN 2.0’ Policy Brief: A Vision for a Modernized UN System
In response, today, the Secretary-General issued his final Policy Brief on Our Common Agenda, titled “UN 2.0: Cutting-Edge Skills and Forward-Thinking Culture for UN System Impact.” UN 2.0 represents a vision for a rejuvenated United Nations system, better equipped to support member states in the twenty-first century and turbocharge progress on the SDGs.
At the core of UN 2.0 are stronger capabilities in five modern areas of expertise: a dynamic fusion of data, innovation, digital, behavioral science and strategic foresight, which we call our “quintet of change.” To foster environments where these cutting-edge skills thrive, the UN 2.0 will be rooted in a shift towards organizational cultures that put a priority on agility, learning, and creativity.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remarked, “As a result, UN 2.0 unlocks novel, impactful approaches and solutions for SDG progress, at a time when it is needed the most.”
A snapshot of the ongoing UN system progress and solutions is available on the new www.un-two-zero.network platform. The site showcases over 500 initiatives from 160 UN Country Teams who utilize the “quintet of change” in their work with member states for SDG impact. These initiatives highlight the immense potential of twenty-first-century expertise for addressing challenges in climate, education, agriculture, gender equality, and beyond.
The UN 2.0 agenda will engage the entire UN system. Every UN entity, team, and colleague will contribute to this transformative organizational shift in learning, job profiles, partnerships, knowledge sharing, technology, as well as programme solutions for member states. While each UN entity will navigate the transformation at its own pace, a joint accelerator program will champion UN 2.0's progression throughout the United Nations system starting in 2024.
For a comprehensive understanding of our forward-looking vision, goals, and transformative strategies, we strongly encourage all stakeholders to delve into the full policy brief: https://www.un.org/en/common-agenda/policy-briefs.
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Press Release
27 June 2023
Food Security improves in the Caribbean yet challenges persist
BRIDGETOWN – A recent food security and livelihoods survey conducted by the World Food Programme and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the Caribbean region revealed that 3.7 million people, or 52 percent of the population of the English-speaking Caribbean, remain food insecure. This is a 10 percent decrease when compared to an August 2022 survey, however, it underscored growing financial hardship and challenges due to the rising cost of living in the aftermath of the pandemic.
According to the 2023 Caribbean Food Security and Livelihoods survey, carried out among English-speaking Caribbean countries, 98 percent of respondents reported high food prices in the three months prior to the survey, the highest level reported since the first survey in 2020.
In a region that is highly vulnerable to climate shocks, the survey revealed that 42 percent of households were affected by climate-related hazards in the 12 months prior to the survey. These events continue to have a significant impact on climate sensitive livelihood activities such as in agriculture and fisheries.
"In this complex socio-economic environment that is vulnerable to climate change, the priority of CARICOM and national governments to make food accessible amidst these shocks is important. Collaboration across agriculture, social protection, education, and finance sectors, helps to improve livelihood opportunities and contributes to achieving affordable food for all," says Regis Chapman, Representative and Country Director WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office.
For persons who reported a disruption to their livelihoods, 65 percent cited the unaffordability of the necessary inputs as the main cause, with domestic workers and farmers most impacted. Salaried persons are managing slightly better, yet 40 percent of respondents indicated job losses or salary reductions in the six months before the survey. Others have resorted to alternative or secondary sources of income to meet food and other needs, according to the survey.
The cost of living has had a widespread impact on people’s ability to continue to meet food and other needs. Rising prices for animal feed, fertilizer and fuel have also severely affected respondents engaging in farming and/or fishing.
“Food insecurity is having major effects on the socio-economic welfare of citizens throughout the region, the solution however can only be accomplished through joint regional efforts in the planning and execution of comprehensive sustainable actionable solutions geared towards building resilience against climatic conditions and future market disruptions,” says David Prendergast, Director, Directorate of Single Market and External Trade CARICOM.
The survey’s results are a reminder of the importance of the region’s agenda to reduce imports by 25 percent by 2025, which includes strengthening food systems in the Caribbean so that they are resilient and adaptive to shocks and building on measures to address the affordability, accessibility, and availability of livelihood inputs.
The survey was completed with the support of the Government of Canada, the European Union and the United States Agency for International Development, Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance.
Note to the editor:
The survey report can be found on wfp.org. An interactive dashboard with results from all rounds of the survey is also available online. The dashboard visualises comparison of the results over time and for the overall region and individual countries. https://analytics.wfp.org/t/Public/views/CaribbeanFoodSecurityLivelihoodsSurvey/Overview
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
Follow us on Twitter @wfp_Caribbean and www.facebook.com/WFPCaribbean
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Press Release
20 May 2023
Guyana to host the 12th ILO Meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labour
The International Labour Organization's (ILO), Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour in Guyana, will host the Twelfth Subregional ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers from 23-25 May 2023 in Georgetown, Guyana.
This Meeting will include the participation of Ministers of Labour and senior officials from thirteen ILO member States and nine non-metropolitan territories in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. Representatives from regional workers’ organizations and employers’ organizations will also be in attendance.
The three-day meeting will provide a forum for participating Caribbean world of work leaders to: exchange perspectives on the global, regional, and national actions required to accelerate the mainstreaming of social justice for transformative socio-economic development in the current multi-crisis context; address labour migration as a potential enabler of decent work and acceleration factor in Caribbean development, including the importance of systemic, rights-based, inclusive approaches, to addressing governance challenges in a hyper-mobile region; and examine Caribbean progress on Just Transition policy and institutional mechanisms and determine priorities for action and ILO technical assistance for the 2024-25 biennium. The opening ceremony of the Twelfth Subregional ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers will take place on Tuesday 23 May between 9.00-10.30 AM at the Grand Ballroom of the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana.
Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization, will attend the opening ceremony virtually to deliver feature remarks.
Other speakers include: His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana The Honourable Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour, Guyana Ms. Claudia Coenjaerts, Director, ILO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Mr. Dennis Zulu, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean Local media in Guyana: Accredited local media (in Guyana) will be provided with access to the 12th Caribbean Labour Ministers’ Meeting opening ceremony and press conference on 23 May 2023, as well as a post-closing press conference on 25 May 2023.
The application form for local accreditation is available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VDZQBK9 and must be completed and submitted by 19 May 2023. Further instructions for media will be provided upon accreditation.
Regional media - virtual attendance Regional media are invited to attend the 12th Caribbean Labour Ministers’ Meeting opening ceremony and press conference virtually by registering at Opening Ceremony / Press Conference Registration - Zoom . Once registered, further details will be provided on how to attend.
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Media contact:
Shireen Cuthbert
ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean
cuthbert@ilo.org
This Meeting will include the participation of Ministers of Labour and senior officials from thirteen ILO member States and nine non-metropolitan territories in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean. Representatives from regional workers’ organizations and employers’ organizations will also be in attendance.
The three-day meeting will provide a forum for participating Caribbean world of work leaders to: exchange perspectives on the global, regional, and national actions required to accelerate the mainstreaming of social justice for transformative socio-economic development in the current multi-crisis context; address labour migration as a potential enabler of decent work and acceleration factor in Caribbean development, including the importance of systemic, rights-based, inclusive approaches, to addressing governance challenges in a hyper-mobile region; and examine Caribbean progress on Just Transition policy and institutional mechanisms and determine priorities for action and ILO technical assistance for the 2024-25 biennium. The opening ceremony of the Twelfth Subregional ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers will take place on Tuesday 23 May between 9.00-10.30 AM at the Grand Ballroom of the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana.
Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization, will attend the opening ceremony virtually to deliver feature remarks.
Other speakers include: His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana The Honourable Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour, Guyana Ms. Claudia Coenjaerts, Director, ILO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Mr. Dennis Zulu, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean Local media in Guyana: Accredited local media (in Guyana) will be provided with access to the 12th Caribbean Labour Ministers’ Meeting opening ceremony and press conference on 23 May 2023, as well as a post-closing press conference on 25 May 2023.
The application form for local accreditation is available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VDZQBK9 and must be completed and submitted by 19 May 2023. Further instructions for media will be provided upon accreditation.
Regional media - virtual attendance Regional media are invited to attend the 12th Caribbean Labour Ministers’ Meeting opening ceremony and press conference virtually by registering at Opening Ceremony / Press Conference Registration - Zoom . Once registered, further details will be provided on how to attend.
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Media contact:
Shireen Cuthbert
ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean
cuthbert@ilo.org
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Press Release
18 April 2023
The Region’s Countries Will Meet at ECLAC to Evaluate Progress on Fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
The sixth meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development – where authorities and representatives of governments, the United Nations System, international organizations, the private sector, academia and civil society will review the progress and challenges related to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the region – will take place on April 25-28 at ECLAC’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile.
The regional forum – which has been held annually since 2017 – aims to provide those responsible for implementing the 2030 Agenda in countries with a space conducive to peer learning through a set of interactive sessions in which, by discussing experiences and shared goals, they can identify good practices, enabling the Forum’s member countries to offer recommendations and present them to the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The HLPF is the global mechanism for follow-up on the 2030 Agenda, and it meets each year in July in New York under the auspices of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
This sixth intergovernmental meeting will be inaugurated on Wednesday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m. local time in Santiago, Chile (GMT-4) by Santiago Cafiero, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, the country that is serving as Chair of ECLAC in the 2022-2024 biennium; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Paula Narváez, Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations, in her capacity as Vice President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); and José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
It will be preceded on Tuesday, April 25 by a meeting of the mechanism for civil society participation in the Sustainable Development Agenda and in the Forum, and by a gathering of the Regional Collaborative Platform for Latin America and the Caribbean.
In the framework of the Forum, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs will present a document entitled “Halfway to 2030 in Latin America and the Caribbean: progress and recommendations for acceleration,” the sixth report on regional progress and challenges in relation to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has been prepared by the Secretariat (held by ECLAC) and which analyzes the evolution and current state of progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17, along with projections for their fulfillment by 2030.
The meeting contemplates statements by Latin American and Caribbean country representatives at two sessions entitled “Accelerating the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels” and “Strategies to advance implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean.”
In addition, five panel discussions have been organized in which the Forum’s member countries and other actors will be able to present and share their experiences and challenges in relation to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the following areas: Clean water and sanitation (SDG 6); Affordable and clean energy (SDG 7); Industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9); Sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11); and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
Finally, on Friday, April 28, a high-level roundtable will take place under the theme of “Path to the SDG Summit. Transformative initiatives: creating opportunities to strengthen commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its full implementation at all levels,” where prominent figures and authorities from the region will debate transformative initiatives for confronting global challenges and creating opportunities to bolster the commitment to the 2030 Agenda and accelerate its full implementation, in view of the Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (to be held on September 19-20, 2023 in the framework of the UN General Assembly’s high-level segment).
The full programme of the sixth meeting of the Forum is available at the event’s special website: https://foroalc2030.cepal.org/2023/en
Journalists and other members of the press who want to attend this event in person must register using this form: https://eventos.cepal.org/event/102/. They will receive an automated email response once their registration has been accepted.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Submitting the registration form is a prerequisite for attending the meeting in person, but it does NOT guarantee access to the event. Local organizers can restrict entry, if need be, due to attendance capacity restrictions or for security or other reasons arising at the time. We thank you in advance for your understanding and respect for these conditions.
The event’s official activities can be followed live online via the meeting’s website, ECLAC’s official Internet portal www.cepal.org, the web page https://live.cepal.org/ and the Commission’s institutional accounts on Twitter (https://twitter.com/cepal_onu) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cepal.onu).
What: Sixth meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development.
When: Tuesday, April 25 to Friday, April 28, 2023.
Who:
Inauguration, Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. local time in Chile (GMT -4):
Santiago Cafiero, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina.
Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Paula Narváez, Vice President of ECOSOC and Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations.
José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC.
Where: Virtual connection via several platforms:
Meeting website https://foroalc2030.cepal.org/2023/en
ECLAC’s website www.cepal.org
Web page https://live.cepal.org/
Official account on Twitter https://twitter.com/cepal_onu
Official account on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cepal.onu
For queries related to journalistic coverage of this event, contact ECLAC’s Public Information Unit in Santiago, Chile. Email: prensa@cepal.org; Telephone: (56) 22210 2040.
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Press Release
17 March 2023
Guyana Activates World Bank Financing to Reduce Flooding in Georgetown
Much of Guyana’s economic activity, especially agriculture, is concentrated in low-lying areas and 90% of the country’s population live on a coastal plain which lies below sea level. The impact of rising sea levels and intensified storm surges in Guyana could exceed 46.4 percent in Gross Domestic Product losses. Despite extensive urban and rural drainage, Georgetown’s system is frequently overwhelmed, resulting in severe flooding which causes damage to infrastructure, and disrupts urban activities, hampering the prosperity and wellbeing of affected communities.
“The World Bank is pleased to support Guyana, as the country seeks to build its climate resilience”, said Diletta Doretti, World Bank’s Resident Representative for Guyana. “Flooding not only has negative impacts on lives and livelihoods but can also impact health, due to communicable diseases”, Ms. Doretti added. The World Bank official further commended the Government of Guyana for awarding the contracts to local companies.
The interventions financed under these contracts will reduce flood levels in two catchment areas, and include replacement of existing pumps, additional pumping capacity, rehabilitation of the sluice gates at Ogle, and two mobile pumps, also at Ogle. Further, the Flood Risk Management Project supports upgrading critical sections of the East Demerara Water Conservancy Dams, and institutional strengthening for flood risk reduction while also facilitating project management and implementation support, through local agencies and institutions.
Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha highlighted the necessity to improve the drainage systems across the country as they impact development outcomes. He said, “as we are improving the flood risk management of our country, we are seeing more development especially in the agriculture sector. This project will help the entire eastern part of Region Four which will contribute to the ease of flooding in these areas.”
The Bank and the Government of Guyana expressed their mutual commitment to improving flood risk management, during the signing event for contractors.
Contacts:
In the Caribbean: Penny Bowen, pbowen@worldbankgroup.org
Learn more about the work of the World Bank in the Caribbean: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/caribbean
Be updated via Twitter: https://twitter.com/WBCaribbean
Be updated via Twitter: https://twitter.com/WBCaribbean
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Latest Resources
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Resources
07 September 2023
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