KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, said while Member States all face the same world of multiple and intersecting challenges, “the great difference between us, however, is our capacity to meet, withstand and recover from the shocks they bring”, as these challenges cannot be solved alone but through multilateralism, diplomacy and international cooperation.  With its macro-economic fundamentals stronger today than any time over the past 50 years, Jamaica is now an attractive destination for investment, she noted, adding that while these advancements have been hard-won with sacrifice, partnerships and prudent management, “we recognize that our many successes can be eroded by exogenous shocks including climate change, which we view as a clear and present threat to humanity”.  Hurricane Beryl, in July, not only dislocated families and communities, or damaged infrastructure and livestock, it mirrors the reality whereby “we experience almost half of each year in the uncertainty of a hurricane season”, she continued, with natural and climate-based disasters continually setting back “our efforts to attain the SDGs and realize sustained, inclusive growth and development”.

Jamaica has therefore taken steps to strengthen its ability to respond to and recover from such disasters through a risk layered approach to disaster response financing by significantly increasing resources to its Contingency Fund and the National Natural Disaster Reserve Fund, among other measures, she said.  It also counts of effective international cooperation to counter the negative impacts of climate change and pursue climate justice, while urging major polluting nations to honour their commitments under the Paris Agreement and meet their finance obligations.  In the same vein, she underscored the need for international cooperation to drive sustained efforts to tackle structural and systemic issues that constrain access to development financing.  “We call upon wealthier countries and international financial institutions to partner with developing countries and redouble their efforts to create and implement innovative strategies to unlock financing and spur investments in attaining the SDGs,” she stressed.

Joining other countries, Jamaica calls for the discontinuation of the crippling economic, commercial and financial embargo against “our closest Caribbean neighbour, Cuba” and for its declassification as a State sponsor of terrorism.  On the Palestinian conflict, she condemned both the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas and the consequential counterattacks by Israel, stating that “the undeniable humanitarian crisis and instability compel all parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy”.  Her country therefore calls for a two-State solution to the situation and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.  Welcoming the installation of the Transitional Presidential Council in Haiti, she observed that the restoration of peace and security in that country is critical to the conduct of free and fair elections as well as sustainable economic growth and development.  The international community should, therefore, significantly increase contributions to its Humanitarian Response Plan, which remains underfunded at 39 per cent of the target.