Senator Lamin Newton has called on parliamentarians to transform discussions surrounding the Sustainable Development Goals into legislation, policies and measurable results.

Newton delivered remarks on behalf of Antigua and Barbuda during the closing ceremony of an international parliamentary conference focused on advancing the SDGs.

In his address, Newton said the SDGs should not be regarded merely as 17 international targets, but as a commitment to improving people’s lives and creating a better future for coming generations.

He said achieving sustainable development requires political leadership, strong institutions, effective legislation, adequate financing, international cooperation and decisive action.

“As parliamentarians, we have a unique responsibility. We are not only lawmakers; we are representatives of our people,” Newton told delegates.

He said elected representatives must listen to the concerns of citizens, understand their aspirations and ensure national development policies produce tangible improvements in their daily lives.

Newton noted that progress on the SDGs will ultimately be judged by whether countries reduce poverty and inequality, improve access to quality education and healthcare, create decent employment, address climate change, protect the environment and strengthen peace and good governance.

He also highlighted the particular difficulties confronting small and developing states, especially those in the Caribbean.

“For small and developing states, particularly the Caribbean, sustainable development cannot be separated from the challenges of climate change, economic vulnerability, debt, access to finance, food security and resilience,” he said.

Newton argued that these interconnected challenges demonstrate why no country can achieve sustainable development alone.

He therefore urged parliamentarians to strengthen cooperation, exchange best practices, advocate for greater international support and ensure that vulnerable communities are represented in national and international decision-making.

The St John’s Rural West MP also cautioned that conferences are only meaningful when their discussions result in concrete action.

“Let us turn our commitments into legislation, our discussions into policies, and our policies into measurable results,” he said.

With the 2030 deadline for achieving the SDGs drawing closer, Newton warned that governments and lawmakers cannot afford complacency or excuses.

“We cannot afford to leave future generations with problems that we had the opportunity to solve today,” he said.

Newton encouraged delegates to continue cooperating after the conference and to work collectively towards building a more prosperous, inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world.