UNITED NATIONS, CMC – United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been meeting with Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders who are attending the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

The UN said that Guterres met with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda and Belize’s Prime Minister John Briceno as well as Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson-Smith over the last weekend.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Browne, the UN said the two officials “exchanged views on climate action, the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index and deficiencies in the international financial system.

“They discussed the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, which Antigua and Barbuda will host in 2024, and efforts towards advancing the loss and damage agenda at COP27 (a major UN Climate Change Conference),” the UN said, adding they also shared views on the need for Security Council reform”.

Guterres and Prime Minister Briceno discussed “challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), such as climate change, access to concessional finance and the impacts of the war in Ukraine on food and fuel prices.”

In his discussions with Johnson Smith, “the importance of urgent climate action and financing to recover from the current cost-of-living crisis.

“They also discussed the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the establishment of the UN Youth Office. The Secretary-General commended Jamaica’s strong commitment to multilateralism.”

Last week, Guterres also held talks with St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves as well as the Caricom chairman and President of Suriname Chandrikapersad Santokhi.