BVI and ECLAC leaders urge faster action on Sustainable Development Goals at regional forum

A high-level bilateral discussion between Vice Chair of the 40th Session of ECLAC, Benito Wheatley, of the British Virgin Islands, and Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs took place on the sidelines of the recently concluded 9th Meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development.

The talks formed part of broader engagements linked to United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

A British Virgin Islands government press release said that during their exchange, both officials stressed the pressing need to fast-track progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that implementation currently stands at just 19 percent, with only four years remaining before the 2030 deadline.

According to the press release, Wheatley praised Salazar-Xirinachs for the Commission’s strong focus on addressing development challenges and advancing productive development strategies. He highlighted that these approaches, if adopted by governments, could help drive meaningful economic and social change across the region.

It added that Wheatley also underscored the importance of boosting technical collaboration between Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in areas such as resilience, investment, and technology. He pointed out that with limited fiscal space—largely due to debt burdens and emergency responses to external shocks—investment is becoming increasingly critical to sustaining regional growth.

For his part, Salazar-Xirinachs reportedly reiterated ECLAC’s ongoing support for the sustainable development of the British Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean.

He emphasized that although many countries in the subregion are classified as middle-income, their vulnerability to external shocks means continued international assistance remains essential, especially for Small Island Developing States.

The ECLAC Executive Secretary also recognized the British Virgin Islands for its active leadership during the Forum. This included a Caribbean-focused panel led by Wheatley in his capacity as Vice Chair of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee, which examined the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS through South-South cooperation, as per the release.

Reaffirming the territory’s commitment to sustainable development and regional collaboration, Wheatley stated:

“Through our various leadership roles within UN ECLAC, the British Virgin Islands will continue to advocate for the Caribbean to ensure the subregion’s priorities, including climate resilience, are taken into account in the inter-governmental deliberations of the wider region on the 2030 Agenda, and that there is closer collaboration between the Caribbean and Latin America on the implementation of the SDGs in the remaining period”.

The 9th Meeting of the Forum was held in Santiago, Chile, from April 13 to 16.