The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is celebrating a significant milestone—50 years of partnership with Jamaica—by highlighting the nation’s extraordinary resilience. Kishan Khoday, the UNDP Resident Representative, has characterized Jamaica’s journey as a “remarkable achievement” in the face of persistent challenges.
In a recent interview, Khoday reflected on Jamaica’s evolution from 1976 to the present, emphasizing its status as a small island developing state (SIDS) that has successfully navigated a complex landscape of natural disasters, economic shifts, and the escalating threat of climate change. He noted that the very definitions of development and poverty have transformed over this period, bringing both new challenges and new opportunities.
“Jamaica has demonstrated incredible resilience,” Khoday stated, “not only enduring multiple crises but also progressing to become an upper-middle-income economy. The nation has adeptly seized opportunities across different decades, paving the way for a bright future.”
A cornerstone of this five-decade collaboration has been institutional capacity building. The UNDP’s support was instrumental in establishing pivotal national bodies, including the National Conservation Trust and the National Climate Change Office, while simultaneously strengthening civil society organizations. Khoday stressed that adapting to global demands requires local institutions to continually develop new capacities, a focus that remains central to the UNDP’s mission alongside tackling climate change.
Khoday, who leads the Multi-Country Office covering Jamaica and several other Caribbean nations, is steering initiatives centered on green growth and sustainable development. The UNDP’s current portfolio from its Kingston headquarters encompasses projects valued at approximately $80 million across the region.
To mark its golden anniversary, the UNDP has orchestrated a series of events under the theme ‘A Legacy of Resilience, 50 Years and Counting’. The calendar includes the prestigious W. Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture, the launch of an Access to Justice app on World Social Justice Day, and a World Biodiversity Day field tour. The commemoration will also feature a public forum on resilient recovery, the premiere of a commemorative video and song, and an outreach event in The Bahamas. These activities are designed to showcase the agency’s enduring solidarity and its impactful support for Jamaica’s development agenda, particularly in post-hurricane recovery efforts.