Minister Joseph Calls for Climate Commitments to Deliver Results for Caribbean People

Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, the Hon. Michael Joseph, called for faster, more accessible financing for Caribbean small island states during a high-level ministerial meeting at United Nations Headquarters today.

Hosted by the Government of Haiti, CARICOM and Antigua and Barbuda, the meeting brought together Caribbean representatives and development partners to discuss how international commitments can become investments that improve people’s lives. Minister Joseph spoke on the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS), the ten-year framework adopted in 2024.

“For Antigua and Barbuda, ABAS must be a framework for delivery, not another declaration we congratulate ourselves for negotiating,” Minister Joseph said.

He stressed that Caribbean countries need affordable and predictable financing to strengthen infrastructure, prepare for disasters, protect natural resources, improve health services and create economic opportunities. He also called for the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index to inform financing decisions, since income figures alone do not reflect the risks small islands face.

Minister Joseph said international partnerships must help national institutions prepare projects, manage funding and measure results. He highlighted the proposed SIDS Centre of Excellence as a practical way to connect countries with technical expertise, training and project preparation support.