KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, said that, in its journey towards peace, her country tackled “the twin-headed monster of crime and violence”, investing heavily in the security forces, technology and infrastructure.  Improved working conditions, increased mobility, use of forensics and new legislative tools are delivering results, she observed, highlighting the 22 per cent reduction in serious crimes since the start of 2023.  However, “we cannot […] win this fight alone”, she stressed, noting that small island States with porous borders rely on global partnerships to combat trafficking in persons, arms and drugs.  Jamaica does not manufacture guns or ammunition; countries that do and which serve as major consumers of drugs must do more in preventing their outflow and in fighting these elements of transnational organized crime, which have a massive impact on developing countries in the region.  The war on drugs must be complemented and fought in parallel with the war on guns, she asserted, echoing the words of Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Turning to international peace and security, she called for an end to the war in Ukraine and urged parties to regional and civil wars to choose dialogue and coexistence over conflict.  Moreover, all States must heed the call for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and refrain from the testing, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons.  Urging for international action to restore order and security in Haiti, she supported the call for a multinational security support mission to bolster the Haitian National Police in their efforts to vanquish ever-strengthening criminal gangs.  Jamaica will contribute personnel to participate in such an effort, she said, calling for urgent adoption of a Security Council resolution authorizing a multinational security support mission in that country.  Sounding the alarm over the suffering of ordinary Haitians, she said humanitarian support cannot be distributed in insecurity; hospitals cannot deliver care in insecurity; children cannot go to school in insecurity; and people cannot go to work in insecurity.  “Rest assured that only chaos will reign if the international community remains distracted,” she said.

Highlighting Jamaica’s significant transformation over the last several years, fostering a vibrant, sustainable economy, she said that, from farm roads to bridges and highways, from wind turbines to solar panels, from fibre optics to satellite connectivity, increased investment in infrastructure is playing a pivotal role.  In 2023, Jamaica achieved its lowest unemployment rate on record at 4.5 per cent.  Fiscal responsibility and prudent economic management have been central to the country’s achievements:  the Government paid down the country’s debt, expanded revenue by including more people in the formal economy and improved tax collection.  Furthermore, Jamaica has led global efforts to reform the international financial architecture and improve access to affordable financing for development, including climate finance.  She also welcomed the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which will catalyse action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. On the residual impact of the immorality of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, she said “justice and accountability are long overdue”, calling for the international recognition of reparatory justice as a necessary path to complete healing, restoration of dignity and progress for people of African descent.