CASTRIES, St Lucia — To counter global challenges that are a particular threat to vulnerable island nations like those in the Caribbean, it’s vital to “face the headwinds together”, especially in the face of the destruction being wrought by climate change, the UN chief told the annual Caribbean Community (CARICOM) conference in Saint Lucia on Wednesday.
It is no surprise that just the way from the airport to this room with a short stop between the two Pitons was an enchanting experience. As Derek Walcott, one of Saint Lucia’s two Nobel Laureates, once said: “You cannot wake up in the Caribbean without a sense of astonishment.”
“The beauty of Saint Lucia and the uniqueness of the voice and way of life of each of the Caribbean islands is threatened”, said Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday at the Conference of heads of CARICOM governments gathered to focus on obstacles to sustainable development.
“I would like to focus on some of these challenges, especially climate change and other obstacles to sustainable development, including the imperatives of citizen security and building resilience and the importance of access to development finance,” Guterres said.
Guterres recounted his visit to the South Pacific in May where he saw how “Pacific island nations are addressing the climate crisis” by focusing “a climate lens” on development investments. He also recalled his visit two years after Hurricanes Irma and Maria wreaked havoc in 2017, when “in only a couple of days”, years of “hard-won development gains” were destroyed in…
