2030 goals discussed as United Nations exec visits

The Virgin Islands’ progress toward meeting the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals was up for discussion this week when a senior regional UN official visited the territory.

Simon Springette, the newly appointed UN resident coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, met with Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley during his Tuesday-to-Wednesday visit to discuss how joint efforts can help tackle the VI’s development challenges, according to government.

“His visit aims to deepen the relationship with the United Nations network of institutions to deliver tangible results that will beneficially impact the lives of everyone in the Virgin Islands,” Dr. Wheatley said.

2030 goals

Mr. Springette was also scheduled to meet with the government’s Sustainable Development Goals National Coordinating Committee to discuss advancing the territory’s UN Country Implementation Plan, a 2021 agreement that details areas where the UN will provide technical assistance toward achieving the 2030 goals, government stated.

The VI plan, in turn, guides the territory’s implementation of the UN Multi-country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2024-2026, which is the UN’s main planning instrument for the Caribbean, according to government.

The Sustainable Development Goals — which all UN member states adopted in 2015 — include eliminating hunger and poverty, reducing inequality, and ensuring access to health care, quality education, clean water, and reasonable employment, among others.

Though the global targets were initially set for completion by 2030, leaders here andabroad have said they have been delayed byCovid-19 and other issues.

Finance

Mr. Springette’s visit was also scheduledto include the official launch of the Working Group on the Development of aRoadmap to Improve Access to Development Finance for Eastern Caribbean Overseas Territories.

“This initiative aims to create a strategicframework to enhance access to development finance, addressing critical issues facedby the region,” according to government.