Jamaica's Prime Minister Addresses UNGA 80th Session on Global Challenges

UNGA 80th Session and Multilateralism

• 🇯🇲 Jamaica extends congratulations to the President on her election to preside over the 80th session of the General Assembly.
• 💡 The 80th anniversary of the UN is an opportunity to reaffirm commitment to its principles and to reform and revitalize the multilateral system for the 21st century.
• 🎯 A call for a more democratic, representative, and responsive system, with Jamaica's permanent representative co-chairing a working group on UN80 mandate implementation review.

Climate Change and Small Island Developing States

• ⚠️ Climate change is a daily reality for small island developing states like Jamaica, with frequent hurricanes, droughts, and erratic rainfall impacting infrastructure and progress.
• 📈 Jamaica is committed to net zero emissions by 2050 and achieving 50% renewable energy by 2030, but efforts are constrained by lack of predictable financing.
• 💰 The promise of $100 billion annually in climate finance remains unfulfilled, and the loss and damage fund's capitalization is inadequate.

Global Financial System and Debt

• 📉 Jamaica has reduced its debt-to-GDP ratio from 144% to 62% but remains locked out of concessional financing due to outdated metrics.
• ⚖️ Support for the multi-dimensional vulnerability index to accurately assess development needs and eligibility for concessional financing.
• 🔄 Advocating for innovative financing mechanisms like debt for climate swaps, debt for nature swaps, and blended finance to unlock private sector investment.

International Conflicts and Regional Stability

• 🕊️ Jamaica supports a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israel and Palestinian territories through diplomacy and dialogue, supporting UN Security Council Resolution 242.
• 🇭🇹 The political instability, gang violence, and humanitarian crisis in Haiti affect the entire region, with Jamaica leading efforts to restore peace and constitutional order.
• 🚨 A call for member states to operationalize recommendations for a more robust mechanism to deal with the situation in Haiti, requiring financial and logistic support.

Global War on Gangs and Transnational Crime

• 🌐 Transnational criminal networks involved in cyber crime, trafficking, and violence pose an existential threat to states, with gangs having resources rivaling nation states.
• ⚔️ Jamaica has made significant progress in tackling gangs and reducing its homicide rate, but calls for a global war on gangs to cut off weapons, money, and influence.
• 🌍 Urging full implementation of the UN program of action on small arms and light weapons, and for major arms exporting countries to tighten export controls and monitoring.

Call to Action

• ✨ Revitalize multilateralism and recommit to building a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable world by addressing climate change, debt, poverty, conflicts, and crime.
• ✅ Jamaica stands ready to work in partnership and solidarity to create a future defined by peace, prosperity, and dignity for all.