The Eastern Caribbean faces an escalating trifect of climate-driven disasters, persistent economic volatility, and growing social strain – and only deep, coordinated collaboration between local governments, regional bodies, and global institutions will allow the small island region to withstand these mounting threats, the United Nations has warned in its new 2025 annual assessment.
Released publicly Tuesday at UN House in Hastings, Barbados, the UN Barbados and Eastern Caribbean office’s latest annual results report lays bare the deep structural vulnerabilities the region grapples with, outlining how overlapping climate and economic pressures have created widespread uncertainty for communities and policymakers alike. The report emphasizes that development challenges across climate action, public health, food security, access to justice, and social safety nets are deeply interconnected, reaffirming that cross-stakeholder partnership is the single most critical foundation for long-term progress across the subregion.
“When strong national leadership is paired with meaningful, effective multilateral cooperation, tangible progress is achievable even in the most difficult global contexts,” said Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, speaking at the report’s launch.
Springett stressed that collaborative frameworks remain central to delivering sustainable development outcomes, regardless of the challenge at hand. “Partnerships matter in every context: when we respond to destructive hurricanes, when we mobilize much-needed climate finance, when we support national reform agendas, or when we invest in digital transformation to open new economic opportunities,” he explained. “All progress across the region has been driven by coordinated action at the community, national, regional, and international levels.”
Springett noted that collaboration across a diverse ecosystem of actors has been the key to scaling successful interventions. “Partnerships with national governments, CARICOM, OECS institutions, civil society groups, youth networks, the private sector, and global development partners have allowed us to deliver impact at scale, drive innovative solutions, and build long-term sustainability,” he said, adding that the new report serves as a powerful endorsement of multilateral action.
“Multilateral cooperation amplifies the voices of Caribbean nations on the global stage, unlocks critical financing that would otherwise remain out of reach, strengthens regional institutional systems, and helps turn long-standing vulnerability into lasting resilience,” Springett said. He noted that all UN programming in the region is guided by locally defined priorities and integrated, cross-cutting approaches to risk. “Across the four strategic pillars of our cooperation framework with Eastern Caribbean governments, the United Nations has delivered meaningful results, and we will continue to do so moving forward,” he said, adding that UN support is intentionally designed to tackle overlapping, interconnected risks aligned with national needs.
Dr. Terrance Drew, Chair of CARICOM and Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, emphasized in a virtual address at the launch that effective multilateral cooperation must be rooted in the unique realities of the Caribbean region. “CARICOM has long recognized that multilateral cooperation delivers the greatest impact when it is grounded in local realities and aligned explicitly with regional priorities,” Drew said. “Across Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, UN agencies have supported national efforts to strengthen climate resilience, expand inclusive social protection systems, drive sustainable, inclusive economic growth, and boost institutional capacity.”
Drew warned that progress on development cannot be decoupled from urgent action to address the climate crisis. “The UN’s integrated approach under the multi-country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework makes clear that combining climate action, disaster risk reduction, targeted financing, and social protection delivers practical, tangible resilience gains,” he said, also highlighting the importance of people-centered development and regional collaboration focused on priority areas including public health, youth engagement, women’s empowerment, governance, and investment.
Brian Bogart, Country Director for the World Food Programme (WFP) in the region, emphasized that sustainable resilience must be built through practical, community-level solutions. “We are strengthening resilience where it matters most: in local communities, in schools, and in small businesses that power local economies,” Bogart explained. “This work extends far beyond high-level policy; it focuses on strengthening the core systems that people rely on every single day.”
Bogart pointed to a range of ongoing, impactful initiatives across the subregion to illustrate this approach. “In St. Lucia, national leadership on building climate-resilient schools is already improving student safety, expanding early warning systems, and strengthening regional coordination around disaster preparedness,” he said. “In Barbados, we are supporting small businesses – the backbone of the national economy – by helping 30 local companies develop tailored business continuity plans to weather economic and climate shocks.”
He also highlighted regional efforts to boost environmental resilience that support local livelihoods. “We are protecting coastal communities and their incomes by helping five countries improve how they manage massive Sargassum seaweed influxes, with new specialized equipment already deployed across these nations,” he said. WFP is also supporting climate-smart agricultural practices, improved land management, and flood protection for key farming communities, investments that Bogart said are critical to long-term sustainability. “Community-led initiatives, from restoring nature trails in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to advancing a new biosphere reserve in St. Lucia, are directly linking environmental protection to expanded livelihood opportunities for local people,” he added. Young people, he noted, are central to all of these efforts: “More than 170 young people are already contributing to regional climate forums and helping shape locally led solutions for the future.”
Amalia Del Riego, Representative for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in the region, highlighted significant progress delivered through the cross-sector One Health approach, a flagship initiative supported by PAHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Bank. “This initiative is strengthening integrated disease surveillance systems, boosting laboratory capacity, and upskilling the health workforce across human, animal, and environmental health sectors,” Del Riego explained. “By fostering active collaboration across different government ministries and academic disciplines, countries are far better equipped to detect, prevent, and respond to emerging health threats, strengthening regional health security and protecting both lives and livelihoods.”
Del Riego also outlined progress across education, social inclusion, and social protection. “More than 5,000 children with disabilities and developmental challenges have received support through the expansion of a more inclusive education system, while over 1,000 caregivers have been trained to strengthen early childhood development across the region,” she said. “Systems to prevent and respond to gender-based violence have been strengthened, national policies have been updated, and support services have been expanded to deliver more survivor-centered care. Women’s economic empowerment programs have also opened new opportunities and boosted resilience for thousands of women.” She added that inclusion remains a core guiding principle of all UN work in the region, focused on expanding support for persons with disabilities, strengthening child-focused social protection, and advancing inclusive policies across all sectors.
Stephanie Ziebell, Representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the region, stressed that strong, inclusive institutions and safe communities are foundational to all other development progress. “A core focus of our collective work across the Eastern Caribbean is building stronger institutions and safer communities, grounded in rigorous data analysis, cross-stakeholder partnership, and a commitment to conflict-sensitive, gender-responsive approaches,” Ziebell explained. “Justice and safety must be accessible to every person, especially women and girls, persons with disabilities, and people living on the margins of society – that is the only way to ensure no one is left behind.”
Ziebell highlighted the Canada-funded PACE justice program, which supports justice sector reform across multiple Caribbean nations. To date, the program has delivered critical court equipment, assisted with the rollout of digital case management systems, provided specialized training for crime scene investigators, hosted targeted case management workshops for justice officials, distributed tools to support restorative justice practices, improved coordination between attorneys general across the region, harmonized standard operating procedures for justice agencies, advanced preparedness to integrate artificial intelligence into court operations, and facilitated cross-national dialogue on reducing criminal case backlogs that delay access to justice for thousands.
