PM Holness holds Teleconference with UN Secretary-General and PM of Canada

Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Wednesday (May 13) had a telephone discussion with the General Secretary of the United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres and the Prime Minister of Canada Hon. Justin Trudeau on the challenges and impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on nations across the world particularly Small Island Developing States and the role that the leaders of Jamaica and Canada can play in mobilizing global financing.

The Prime Minister was speaking from his office in Kingston, Jamaica.

Both Prime Ministers Holness and Trudeau are co-chairs of the UN Group of Friends of Sustainable Goals Financing.

The Group will be focusing its efforts financing resilience building, sustainable development and environment programmes as well as assisting developing countries respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the teleconference the leaders agreed on the importance of a coordinated multinational response to the health and socio-economic impact of the pandemic and ways to build greater and more improved resilience for nations across the world.

The high-level meeting underscored the importance of building resilience amid the COVID-19 pandemic which demands immediate action to address its impacts on the economies of all countries, in every region of the world and at every stage of development.

The Government of Jamaica has been implementing strategic measures to address COVID-19 and to flatten the curve while safeguarding health and economic activity.

The Permanent Mission of Jamaica, along with Canada, is spearheading an initiative to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were unanimously adopted by the international community.

The SDGs establish specific goals and corresponding targets to “end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all” by 2030.