The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is eager to continue working with Barbados to help the country achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNDP’s newly appointed Resident Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Limya Eltayeb, stated this during a courtesy call on Wednesday, with acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Sandra Husbands, where she presented her Letter of Credence.
Minister Husbands, in welcoming Ms. Eltayeb to Barbados and congratulating her on the new appointment, stated: “We’ve always found the members of the team are very cooperative and helpful and very supportive and they guide you on how we can achieve our objectives, and we really want to thank you for your assistance over the years. I think that there is a lot to collaborate on and I think that this relationship can help us to achieve some of Barbados’ developmental goals.”
The acting Foreign Affairs Minister highlighted some areas of concern, including the use of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita as a measurement of development, as the deciding factor to access development assistance and financing.
Ms. Eltayeb, a Sudanese national, who previously held the post of UNDP Resident Representative in Albania, congratulated the Government of Barbados and Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley for being designated by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, as the new Co-Chairs of the Sustainable Development Goals Advocates Group.
She gave the assurance that her office is there to provide global expertise and technical assistance to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
“I’m really looking forward to working with you, and you can definitely count on us, count on the spirit of working hand in hand. We come with the spirit of making ourselves available; we want to hear from you what you are focusing on, what you see as your priorities and where we can make a contribution. This is our objective, our responsibility, and the reason why we’re here, so do lean on us and we will always be there,” the UNDP Resident Representative stated.
The two officials also discussed the Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework in relation to Voluntary National Reviews and the Rapid Integrated Assessment; COVID-19 and its impact; renewable energy; climate change; the Blue Economy; providing technical assistance and the upcoming Stockholm+50 meeting being held in Sweden from June 2 to 3 this year.
UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty; reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress.
As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the SDGs. The organisation has been operating in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean since 1980.