Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

BVI and UN WIDEN COOPERATION AS BREXIT ENDS EU AID

BVI and UN WIDEN COOPERATION AS BREXIT ENDS EU AID

The British Virgin Islands has strengthened cooperation with the United Nations ahead of losing future European Union support for sustainable development at the end of 2020 when the Brexittransition period expires.
To advance the sustainable development of the islands, the British Virgin Islands Government has secured technical assistance from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) to help develop a National Sustainable Development Plan for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

In addition, UN ECLAC has also agreed to Co-Chair with the British Virgin Islands a summit of the regional commission’s 14 Associate Member Countries (AMCs) in 2021 that will focus on addressing the assistance gap to the AMCs as they strive to meet the SDGs.

Implementation of the National Sustainable Development Plan will be supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 2ndNovember 2020 by Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. Andrew A. Fahie and UN Assistant Secretary-General Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva that will strengthen cooperation between the British Virgin Islands and UNDP in the areas of sustainable development, climate resilience and COVID-19 response and recovery.

The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Barbados has also confirmed it is strengthening its coordination role among UN agencies in the region to support the sustainable development of the British Virgin Islands and the countries included in the Eastern Caribbean.

In response to the disruption caused by COVID-19 to the sustainable development agenda and the negative economic, social and health impacts of the global pandemic, the UN is helping the British Virgin Islands to address the effects of the virus as a part of its Multisectoral Response Plan for the Eastern Caribbean. Among other things, UNDP, UNICEF and UN Women have collaborated with the British Virgin Islands Government to produce a COVID-19 Human and Economic Assessment of Impact (HEAT) Report on the islands which has been used to help guide the local response.

The British Virgin Islands has also been active in the regional and international dialogue on COVID-19’s impact on Latin America and the Caribbean and proposals for post-pandemic recovery. Among other things, in his role as Vice Chair of UN ECLAC’s Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC), Premier Fahie has chaired a High-Level Panel on ‘Challenges for the Caribbean to Build Back Better from COVID-19’ at the 38th Session of UN ECLAC from 26th-28th October 2020.

The High-Level Panel included the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Hon. Allen Chastanet, State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica Senator the Hon. Leslie Campbell, UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Mr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Assistant Secretary-General for the Climate Action Team of the UN Mr. Selwyn Hart, Assistant Secretary-General for Trade and Economic Integration of CARICOM Mr. Joseph Cox and Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Sir Hilary Beckles.

Premier Fahie also chaired a UN ECLAC/UWI Development Partners Forum on 14th October 2020 on the theme, ‘Investing in Higher Education to Build More Resilient Post-COVID-19 Economies.’ The meeting featured remarks by Prime Minister of Barbados Hon. Mia Amor Mottley and UWI Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles, and included participation by over 100 participants from governments, donor agencies, development banks and UN agencies.

The British Virgin Islands’ has received high plaudits for its COVID-19 response from UN Assistant Secretary General Luis Felipe Lopez-Calva, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Mr. Didier Trebucq and UNDP Resident Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Mr. Ugo Blanco.

Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. Andrew A. Fahie has also received high commendation for his regional statesmanship over the course of the global pandemic from UN ECLAC Executive Secretary Ms. Alicia Barcena and ECLAC President Costa Rica Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship Mr. Rodolfo Solano Quiros.

Commenting on the British Virgin Islands cooperation with the UN, Premier Fahie said,

“The British Virgin Islands will continue to deepen our relationship with the UN as we work closely on the local response to COVID-19 and engage with regional and international partners to lay the groundwork for post-pandemic recovery, climate resilience and sustainable development for Caribbean SIDS.”

The Premier is supported in his role as Vice Chair of the CDCC by Permanent Secretary Dr. Carolyn O’Neal-Morton, Deputy Secretary Mrs. Elvia Smith-Maduro, International Affairs Director Ms. Najan Christopher, Assistant Secretary for External Affairs Ms. Dwynel Davis, Development Cooperation Specialist Ms. Patlian Johnson and Special Envoy of the Premier Mr. Benito Wheatley.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
×