In Barbados, Guterres highlights power of ‘youth voices’ ahead of key trade and development conference

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The UN Secretary-General connected Sunday said helium was committed to ensuring that the Organisation is simply a spot wherever “youth voices are heard, and their ideas lead”, arsenic helium spent the time successful Barbados which time hosts a large UN league connected commercialized and development, focused connected the request to physique a planetary greenish system and retrieve equitably from the COVID-19 pandemic.

António Guterres arrived successful the Caribbean land federation connected Saturday and volition beryllium addressing the hybrid format UNCTAD15 conference which begins connected Monday, nether the theme, From inequality and vulnerability, to prosperity for all.

Today successful Barbados I met a dynamic radical of young radical moving connected innovative solutions to the world's top challenges - from #ClimateAction to #COVID19 recovery.

I'm committed to ensuring the @UN is simply a spot wherever younker voices are heard and their ideas lead. pic.twitter.com/9WjmmnZHre

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 3, 2021

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta volition beryllium giving the opening remarks virtually, followed successful the Barbadian superior Bridgetown, by the event’s host, Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and Secretary-General of UNCTAD, the UN Conference connected Trade and Development, Rebeca Grynspan.

Recovery, indebtedness focus

In his remarks, Mr. Guterres is expected to underscore the challenges of tackling indebtedness distress and the request to equine a sustainable and equitable betterment for all, according to his Deputy Spokesperson, who briefed journalists astatine UN Headquarters connected Friday.

“He is besides expected to item the request to re-ignite the engines of commercialized and investment, and guarantee they payment the poorest countries, arsenic good arsenic the request to physique a planetary greenish economy”, said Farhan Haq.

Protect the astir vulnerable

In a tweet connected Sunday, aft gathering Prime Minister Mottley – who volition service arsenic President of UNCTAD15 - the UN main reminded that successful a almighty code to the UN General Assembly past week, she had highlighted the value of investing successful support the astir susceptible crossed the world; “a precedence for this land nation, and 1 I’ll proceed pushing for”, added Mr. Guterres.

He spent the time gathering Government officials and was owed to sojourn clime change-impacted areas of Barbados, to spot for himself the effect of erosion and onshore degradation. He was besides owed to sojourn a assemblage recovering from the transition of Hurricane Elsa, which formed connected 2 July this year, arsenic the archetypal hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic season.

Along with M. Mottley, the Secretary-General besides met what helium described connected Twitter arsenic “a dynamic group” of young Barbadians, “working connected innovative solutions to the world’s large challenges – from clime action, to COVID-19 recovery.”