Antigua and Barbuda First in Eastern Caribbean to Sign UN Development Framework for 2027–2031

Antigua and Barbuda has become the first Eastern Caribbean country to sign the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2027–2031, according to the government.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne signed the framework during a ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday, October 23. United Nations Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Simon Springett, attended the signing.

The agreement will guide cooperation between participating governments and the UN development system, aligning support with national and regional priorities.

Its focus includes economic diversification, climate resilience, social protection, citizen security and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

For Antigua and Barbuda, the framework is also intended to support implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States, known as ABAS. The ten-year agenda was adopted following the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, which the country hosted in May 2024.

The framework will support coordinated development programmes, monitoring and accountability to help translate those commitments into measurable results.

It addresses challenges facing Caribbean small island states, including dependence on a narrow range of economic activities, exposure to climate-related disasters, financing constraints, gaps in data systems and persistent social inequalities.

Proposed areas of cooperation include strengthening national institutions, improving digital infrastructure and data management, developing human capital and expanding opportunities for vulnerable populations.

The framework was developed through consultations with governments, civil society organisations and regional institutions, drawing on country-level and regional analyses.

Implementation will be supported by joint and regional steering committees, alongside individual Country Implementation Plans. These arrangements are intended to improve coordination of development assistance and track the benefits delivered to citizens.

The government said the signing would help mobilise technical expertise, development assistance and institutional support for national priorities, while advancing the country’s advocacy for international cooperation that responds to the vulnerabilities of small island developing states.