Ahead of the 8th Meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, British Virgin Islands (BVI) Special Envoy Benito Wheatley held a high-level bilateral meeting with Executive Secretary H.E. Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, head of the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
The discussions focused on productive development policy in the Americas, regional efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ECLAC’s engagement with its Associate Members, and direct cooperation between the BVI and the UN ECLAC.
Wheatley and Salazar-Xirinachs underscored the importance of productive development policies in enhancing the region’s economic productivity and accelerating transformation, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). They emphasized the need to tailor such policies to the Caribbean’s unique challenges, including climate vulnerability, small open economies, and barriers to sustained economic growth.
A key concern raised during the meeting was the exclusion of ECLAC’s Associate Members—which include several Caribbean territories—from key international mechanisms, such as the Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) and the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. Despite their high vulnerability, these territories remain locked out of crucial development and climate financing, widening gaps in funding for sustainable growth.
Salazar-Xirinachs reaffirmed UN ECLAC’s commitment to supporting Associate Members, noting that technical assistance is being provided to help them achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also reiterated that the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development would continue to serve as a platform for engagement on these issues.
Wheatley expressed appreciation for UN ECLAC’s technical support to the BVI and reaffirmed his dedication to regional development in his capacity as Vice Chair of UN ECLAC and the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC).
