UNITED NATIONS, CMC – Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretary, General Dr Carla Barnett has held discussions with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on regional priority issues including reform of the international financial architecture, climate change and the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States.

“The two Secretaries-General discussed the situation in Haiti and the active engagement of Caricom, highlighting the work of the Eminent Persons Group,” according to a brief statement issued following Saturday’s meeting.

The UN Secretary-General has been holding meetings with Caricom leaders, including Haiti’s Prime Minister Dr Ariel Henry and Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali. He has also met with Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith, as Caribbean countries are being represented at the ongoing 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In his deliberations with Henry, the UN Secretary-General expressed “solidarity with the people of Haiti, who continue to suffer from a multifaceted crisis exacerbated by gang violence.”

“The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister exchanged views regarding the deployment of a Multinational Security Support mission in support of the Haitian National Police,” according to the UN statement.

“They further discussed the importance of accelerating the political process and reaching a broad political agreement to maximise efforts on the security front, create suitable conditions for the holding of elections, and open a path to development,” it added.

In his deliberations with Johnson Smith, the UN Secretary-General thanked Jamaica “for its support to Haiti’s political processes and restoration of security, including its commitment to send personnel to Haiti as part of a Multinational Security Support mission.

“The Secretary-General and the Minister agreed on the urgent need to advance the reform of the international financial architecture and discussed the importance of the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States,” the statement said.

It said that his discussions with the Guyanese President centred on the efforts by Caribbean countries to fight climate change, avoid deforestation and safeguard forest cover.

“The Secretary-General congratulated Guyana on its election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 2024 to 2025 term. The Secretary-General and the President also exchanged views on the situation in Haiti,” the statement read.