The Office of the Premier said the plan — the first of its kind for the territory — will serve as the official framework for development yearly cooperation between the BVI and the UN system.

Premier Andrew Fahie signed the plan at a virtual signing ceremony held on August 17.

He said the signing was a pivotal moment in the BVI’s relationship with the UN as the height of the hurricane season approaches.

“At our most vulnerable point in the season, we are managing COVID-19 and at the same time developing a framework for the long-term sustainable development of our islands. I feel more reassured knowing that we have the support of the UN system during these very uncertain and challenging times,” Fahie stated.

The government has described this new framework as the UN’s offer to better serve Small Island Developing States as they strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The priority areas for cooperation in the BVI include:

• Supporting COVID-19 response and recovery to ensure no one is left behind in the near- to medium-term.

• Strengthening economic resilience with a focus on repositioning Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) for opportunities in the blue economy.

• Strengthening integrated planning for long-term sustainable development to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

• Improving access to sustainable development financing for (a) building climate resilience and conservation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity (b) social development.

• Strengthening policy coordination and implementation to support the effective delivery of public services.