Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the UN Reacts to Official Adoption of Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index

Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Aubrey is reacting to the recent development at the United Nations, where the Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) has been officially adopted.

He told state media the MVI is now awaiting adoption by the United Nation General Assembly, a process he believes could be completed by mid-September

“Once we have adopted it at the general assembly, we still have a lot of work to do in terms of advocating with the international financial institutions and working with the system to make sure it is being used, and it is part of the toolbox countries will use when assessing countries in assessing country’s development,” Webson said.

The index was created by a UN high-level panel co-chaired by Prime Minister Gaston Browne and former Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg. It Is the result of nearly 3 years of intensive work led by Antigua and Barbuda.

Webson said this is a major milestone.

“We sat down, this was Portugal and Antigua and Barbuda, we were given the job to facilitate that process. It took us the better part of 5 months. While we were working on SIDS 4, we were working on this at the same time, and since we came back from SIDS4, we gave it a real push because we wanted to complete this before the end of July,” Webson said.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations issued a release indicating that the final document was unopposed following a critical un process known as “silent procedure.”

Member States had the opportunity to raise objections or dispute positions in the final negotiated text. There were no objections, signifying full and unanimous endorsement by all UN Member States.

Webson said this is a major milestone.

“We sat down, this was Portugal and Antigua and Barbuda, we were given the job to facilitate that process. It took us the better part of 5 months. While we were working on SIDS 4, we were working on this at the same time, and since we came back from SIDS4, we gave it a real push because we wanted to complete this before the end of July,” Webson said.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations issued a release indicating that the final document was unopposed following a critical un process known as “silent procedure.”

Member States had the opportunity to raise objections or dispute positions in the final negotiated text. There were no objections, signifying full and unanimous endorsement by all UN Member States.