Prime Minister Gaston Browne held meetings with major diplomatic partners and
top officials in the United Nations during his recent trip to New York, on a wide
range of important matters including Antigua and Barbuda’s hosting of a major
international gathering of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) next year.
Prime Minister Browne traveled to the United States last week, where he joined the
former Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg to co-chair the High-Level Panel,
on the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI).
During the busy two days of meetings, he met with the Secretary General of the
United Nations, António Guterres, and the Under-Secretary-General (USG) and
High Representative for the Least Developed Countries and Small Island
Developing States, Ms. Rabab Fatima.
The UN Secretary-General renewed the United Nations’ support for the conference
and confirmed that he will be in Antigua and Barbuda for the Fourth SIDS
Conference, likely to take place in mid-2024.
Prime Minister Browne also used the opportunity to impress on Secretary-General
Guterres, the need for the United Nations’ support in building the required
consensus and agreement for the MVI to be an effective tool that vulnerable island
nations can use in building sustainable economies.
In his meeting with Ms. Fatima, the UN official praised the Antigua and Barbuda
Prime Minister and the team of experts for their diligent work in creating an MVI
for small island states, which is a major area of her concentration at the level of the
United Nations. Prime Minister Browne acknowledged the second visit by the United Nations team
to Antigua Barbuda with both the Secretary-General and the USG, in preparation
for the fourth SIDS conference scheduled for 2024.
Mr. Li Junhua
The visit will occur during the week of June 5 th  and will be headed by the Under Secretary General of the UN’s
Department of Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of the
Conference Mr. Li Junhua.
Prime Minister Browne also held a bilateral meeting with the United Kingdom’s
Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dame Barbara Woodward.
Dame Barbara Woodward
During their meeting, he expressed his gratitude to the UK for its support of the
work of the MVI and its strong and devoted interest in bringing it to reality.
Ambassador Woodward indicated to Prime Minister Browne that the UK
Government is also taking a keen interest in the Fourth SIDS Conference and will
be providing technical and financial support to Antigua and Barbuda in the lead-up
to the Conference.
Prime Minister Browne also held a bilateral meeting with the Israeli Ambassador
to the United Nations H.E Gilad Erdan, during which they discussed Visa-free
arrangements between the two countries. The Prime Minister also sought to tap
into the possibilities for cooperation in addressing Antigua and Barbuda’s water
issues, as well as agriculture technology and health.
In this connection, Prime Minister Browne accepted the invitation from the Israeli
government, for Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. EP Chet Greene to visit
Israel within the next two months to sign off on areas of cooperation.
