BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Oct 30, CMC – Barbados Wednesday is hosting the three-day XVI Ministerial Frum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean that is being regarded as a very critical step in the way forward to address opportunities for building resilience and sustainability against future shocks to the development of the region.
“The region is under tremendous pressure, development is under pressure, democracies are under pressure, and this is a space to discuss and exchange in a very pragmatic and concrete way,’ said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Michelle Muschett.
“How can we adjust those escape valves in order to use the pressure that we feel in these times in the region to foster and accelerate development and strengthening democracies in our region?”.
Delegations from more than 20 governments from Latin America and the Caribbean are participating in the two day forum on how to accelerate and protect progress towards human development, social inclusion, and resilience.
Muschett said the UNDP is looking forward to facilitating the discussions and conversations alongside the Economic Commission for Latin America and (ECLAC) and the Barbados government, as co-organisers of the forum.
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Kerrie Symmonds, said that the forum is critical in helping Barbados and the region discuss and propose the way forward in building resilience and sustainability in their development plans.
“This very important conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, which they’re here to attend, is going to be speaking, in large measure, to the question of resilience on the part of small states, and our capacity to make sure that that resilience reflects also not just the theory of the financial challenges that we face in the country and the need to adjust to and adapt in the context of climate but what it really means for the average human being, man and woman, in the street.
“[And], how this resonates in the classrooms for our children, how it resonates in the way in which we plan our housing development for the future, public transportation, the whole range, or cross section of areas where there’s a need now for us to use the language of resilience as we plan out the future of the Barbados society and Barbados economy, and as I say, society, let me not for one second forget the importance of gender balance in this,” he added.
The UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, who is also attending the forum said the event is very important, indicating that the sessions will also focus on climate change adaptation.
“We are looking forward to not only some very constructive and fruitful discussions in the regional conference and forum but particularly also with representatives in your government, with our partners in projects and programmes here in Barbados,” he added.
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