PRESS RELEASE – The United Nations has sought the input of the people of Saint Lucia ahead of the formation of its upcoming agenda to provide assistance to the Caribbean region.
A National Consultation on the creation of the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework was hosted by the Government of Saint Lucia on Thursday September 3rd, 2015.
Hon. Harold Dalsan- Minister for Social Transformation, Local Government and Community Empowerment said “The representation here today from various government ministries, non-governmental organizations, civil society, faith based organizations and the private sector is very heartening. It is a testament of our commitment as a nation to address our developmental challenges as we seek to improve the lives of our people.” The Minister lauded the undertaking to build synergies among the Caribbean region’s countries who share very similar challenges.
Mr. Stephen O’MalleyUnited Nations Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the OECS said “In this region- although the United Nations has been present with a sub-regional office in Barbados for more than 30 years- The first United Nations development assistance framework for Barbados and the OECS was created in 2011 to cover the period 2012 to 2016.
So that document is still operative. As we reflected on the progress we have made with that document, as well as the challenges encountered, we looked across the region at the other 5 UN country teams serving the English speaking Caribbean. We examined the Development Assistance Frameworks we had separately created, and realized- just as the Minister stated- there are more commonalities than differences. ”
Mr. O’Malley said this presented an opportunity to combine efforts to embark upon the creation of the Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework.
Minister Dalsan asserted that development should be an inclusive process that seeks to empower people to actively participate in nation building: “We must give people a voice- an opportunity to articulate their needs and aspirations, their hopes and dreams, and how they envision their country in the years to come. Too often, as development practitioners, politicians and technocrats, we believe we have all the answers and that we know what the people want. We can only know what they want when we have taken the time to actively engage them. ”
Participants of the consultation were asked to analyze and identify Saint Lucia’s main development challenges in the context of the UN’s post 2015 agenda and the proposed Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.
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