YouSaid · the spoken record

Kamina Johnson Smith

lines on the record: 48
first: 2017-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“As we work during this seventy-eighth session to achieve and maintain lasting peace, to attain and build shared prosperity and to accelerate meaningful progress and sustainability. Jamaica will remain hopeful that, together, we can overcome the major challenges that stand in our way. Genuine political will and innovative thinking are required to not only identify solutions but to also pursue them diligently and consistently until the desired results are achieved. I assure you. Mr. President, and all delegations of Jamaica’s unwavering commitment, support and partnership in that noble effort.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The systemic imbalances caused by centuries of exploitation constitute the foundation of the persistent underdevelopment that countries like Jamaica have worked hard to overcome. Jamaica therefore reaffirms its determination to further the call for the international recognition of reparatory justice as a necessary path to complete healing, the restoration of dignity and progress for people of African descent. Together, we must stride confidently forward in good faith, building on the lessons of that horrific past and moving purposefully towards a common future. Furthermore. Jamaica supports the call for an extension of the International Decade for People of African Descent, as insufficient progress has been made to address racial injustices worldwide. Complex global problems demand comprehensive global responses.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“At the SDG Summit last week, we recognized the mutually reinforcing and cross-cutting nature of the SDGs and that we must turbocharge our efforts to attain the transformation we need for people, planet and prosperity. As we all work towards the attainment of the SDGs. Jamaica joins the international community in the unanimous call for ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against Cuba. Our shared commitment to achieving progress, prosperity and sustainability for all cannot be fulfilled until we have definitively closed the chapter on slavery and its legacies in our global history. The residual impact of the immorality of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade has lingered for far too long, and justice and accountability are long overdue.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Therefore, as we prepare for the fourth International Conference on SIDS, to be held in Antigua and Barbuda in May 2024. we look forward to assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of previous plans of action. The Conference will also set the agenda for the programme of action for the sustainable development of SIDS for the next 10 years. Jamaica looks forward to having tangible outcomes focusing on the climate crisis, biodiversity and issues related to debt. As we mark the mid-point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we must channel our fullest efforts towards accelerating achievement of the SDGs through partnerships and a whole-of-society approach.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In that regard, we are working assiduously to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions; to increase reforestation, including through our 3 million trees in 3 years project; to reduce plastic waste, including in the marine environment; to accelerate the energy transition towards renewables; and to address coastal erosion and risks to biodiversity both on land and at sea. Notwithstanding our efforts, the responsibility for effective action is a global one. as the wide-ranging consequences of inaction are equally global. Having just completed the Climate Ambition Summit, we urge major and emerging economies to elevate their ambition and to deliver on their commitments under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. That is a matter of survival for all our countries and peoples, especially small island developing States.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“As we look forward to the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). we recall the breakthrough agreement secured at COP27 to establish a Loss and Damage Fund. The work of the Transitional Committee will be vital to ensuring that the Fund can be properly structured and operationalized. SIDS are counting on meaningful progress in that regard. We also expect that all States will commit to the achievement of net zero fossil fuel production and to keeping 1.5°C alive. We are playing our part through our more ambitious nationally determined contributions to bolster our society, economy and country against the existential threat of climate change.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Jamaica actively participated in the negotiations and looks forward to its early entry into force and effective implementation towards the sustainable use and conservation of our invaluable ocean resources. Jamaica also welcomes the adoption of the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which will catalyse action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. That hard-won victory for sustainable development highlights our shared commitment to protecting 30 per cent of terrestrial, coastal and marine areas by 2030. Both those landmark agreements, attained through multilateral action, will make an impactful contribution to furthering our shared objective of benefiting from our natural resources now. but in a way that ensures their sustainability for future generations.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Unfortunately, the multilateral system itself has faced significant challenges over the past few years: the pandemic, a war in Europe, shifting geopolitical tides and a stubborn resistance to the realities of climate change, to name a few. Defying the odds, however, our collective endeavours resulted in the adoption of the agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction in June. As a sustainable ocean economy, the seat of the International Seabed Authority and the home of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Prime Minister Holness issued the call for the declaration of an annual global tourism resilience day. I humbly express our sincere gratitude to all Member States for answering that call with the General Assembly’s designation, by consensus, of 17 February as Global Tourism Resilience Day. We look forward to collaborating with them on innovations to deepen the resilience of the sector. A strong, robust and inclusive multilateral system, with the United Nations at its centre, remains the single most effective means of ensuring international cooperation towards a sustainable future. It is the forum in which small States have an equal voice and equal participation in global decision-making.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We look forward to the report of the High- Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States and its early adoption by the international financial community. The pandemic taught us many lessons that we cannot afford to forget. For developing States, it exacerbated previously existing inequities and inequalities within and among countries. In terms of trade in services, global tourism and its related sectors were disproportionately impacted as the pandemic exposed the vulnerability of those industries. Massive global disruptions and unemployment were the result. Jamaica, as a leading tourism destination, recognizes the value of resilient tourism for economic. social and environmental development. Last year from this very rostrum.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We are proud to have led and participated in global efforts to pursue reform of the international financial architecture and to improve access to affordable financing for development, including climate finance. More work, however, is needed in that regard to facilitate inclusiveness and equity for all States, and particularly for highly indebted and vulnerable small island developing States. We will therefore continue our advocacy to build momentum towards ambitious and pragmatic solutions. The multidimensional vulnerability index is urgently needed to address the vexed issue of graduation on the basis of per capita income only, and its implications for access to concessional finance and grant funding are critical.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In February. Jamaica established a Bicameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians to bolster our efforts to coalesce around women’s issues and ensure that the needs of women and girls are adequately reflected in our legislative framework. On 1 July, the new Sexual Harassment Act came into effect and sensitization sessions have now started. The Government has also ramped up the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in the development of its policies through the institutionalization of gender focal points across the public sector. Jamaica is working to demonstrate its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in action. As a small island developing State (SID), an enabling global environment is essential for Jamaica to build on that foundation.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Despite several external shocks, our people have remained resilient and we remain poised for even greater growth and development. We have invested heavily in our young people, establishing a new coding academy, providing scholarships in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to students and student teachers at tertiary institutions, and removing all fees from our national skills training agency up to associate degree level. We are partnering with the private sector for internships and employment to ensure that our young people are not only catalysts but beneficiaries of sustained economic growth. Jamaica also remains committed to women’s economic empowerment, the achievement of gender equality and the elimination of violence against women and girls, and has embarked on an extensive process of policy and legislative reforms.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We have established an independent central bank and legislated fiscal rules, ensuring a stable macroeconomic environment. We recognize the need, however, to ensure that there is an appropriate balance between macroeconomic performance and social cohesion so that as many people as possible benefit from growth and stability in the economy. Since April 2022. we have granted the largest increases in minimum wage in the past 20 years, cumulatively amounting to 86 per cent. We have conducted the largest and most comprehensive public sector compensation review, implemented a social pension for the elderly, and increased the benefits under and expanded student beneficiaries of our social safety net programme. We have also broadened coverage of our national health fund and are investing in health infrastructure.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“From farm roads to bridges and highways, from wind turbines to solar panels, from fibre optics to satellite connectivity, increased investment in infrastructure is playing a pivotal role in that transformation. Our efforts to diversify and modernize critical industries such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and global services, including business process outsourcing, have yielded substantial results. We have not only increased economic growth but also created new employment opportunities for our citizens. This year. Jamaica achieved its lowest unemployment rate on record, at 4.5 per cent. Fiscal responsibility and prudent economic management have been central to our achievements. We have paid down our debt, expanded revenue by including more people in the formal economy and improved tax collection.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Jamaica will also continue to lend its support to the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group as it works with the Haitian Government and stakeholders towards a Haitian-owned solution to the political and governance crisis that has gripped the nation. Having hosted the first meeting of the Group with stakeholders in Kingston in May. we remain unwavering in our commitment to working towards a sustainable political outcome. We want Haiti — the first independent black republic — to be able to deliver, for its people, the prosperity they have always deserved. Jamaica itself has been undergoing a significant transformation over the past several years, fostering a growing sustainable economy.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Despite the many competing issues. Jamaica could not be clearer. Ordinary Haitians are suffering. Humanitarian support cannot be distributed in insecurity; hospitals cannot deliver care in insecurity; children cannot go to school in insecurity; men and women cannot go to work in insecurity. Candidates cannot offer themselves for election in insecurity, and people cannot vote in insecurity. The situation can and will become even worse if we do not act without delay. Peace and reasonable stability are indisputably necessary preconditions for each and every aspect of support and short-, medium- and long-term development in Haiti, including the holding of free and fair elections. We may rest assured that only chaos will reign if the international community remains distracted and fails to act. We must meet the moment.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We therefore urge the permanent members of the Security Council to put aside geopolitical sensitivities and to answer the call of the majority of the Haitian people and their brothers and sisters in the Caribbean region. A Security Council resolution under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, authorizing a multinational security support mission, must be adopted without further delay. We join CARICOM’s commendations of President Ruto for Kenya’s steadfast commitment to leading such a mission and welcome the offers from other countries, including from our own region. We call on other capable countries and other capable regions to lend their, financial, human, logistical and in-kind support to ensure that the mission on which we must embark will be effective in delivering peace and stability for the people of Haiti.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“But let me be equally clear — doing nothing is not an option. Jamaica supports the call for a multinational security support mission to bolster the Haitian National Police in their efforts to vanquish ever-strengthening criminal gangs. Prime Minister Holness has made clear, that subject to the relevant Security Council resolution. Jamaica will contribute personnel to such an effort. We listened in Port-au-Prince when the CARICOM mission visited earlier this year. We have also heard the clear call of the majority of the Haitian people, as reflected in the polls conducted in Haiti by reputable local civil society and international agencies.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We are proud that Latin America and the Caribbean remains a declared zone of peace and a nuclear-free zone. We are. however, gravely concerned about growing global tensions and risks associated with nuclear proliferation, safety and use. Jamaica reiterates our long-standing position that all States must heed the call for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and refrain from the testing, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons. I must use this opportunity to reiterate Jamaica’s and CARICOM’s call for international action to restore order and security in our sister nation. Haiti. It is critical that we all fully support all meaningful efforts to contribute to Haitian-led solutions to the multidimensional and multifaceted challenges with which that country is faced. Let me be clear — there are no easy fixes.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Those are not only high-flown concepts; all have direct implications for the efforts of Governments of developing countries, like Jamaica, to deliver safe communities — real and virtual — in which families can live. work, go to school and achieve their dreams. On the matter of international peace and security. Jamaica firmly believes that dialogue, diplomacy and cooperation are the most effective pathways to resolving competing interests. Jamaica therefore calls on all nations to prioritize the pursuit of peace over the perpetuation of conflict and aggression. We reiterate our call for an end to the war in Ukraine and urge parties to regional and civil wars to choose dialogue and coexistence over conflict, as it is ordinary people and the most vulnerable people who suffer the devastating consequences of war.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“As he also said more recently at the International Drug Enforcement Conference XXXVII. which Jamaica co-hosted. “[t]he war on drugs must be reciprocated, complemented and fought in parallel with the war on guns... Our joint efforts not only seek to combat illegal firearms and drugs, but also to fortify international collaboration, reinforcing our pursuit of justice and security”. We also recognize the threat posed to peace and security in the digital space, and therefore continue to work to advance our domestic capacity, as well as multilateral efforts to address cybersecurity. We are also honoured to lead the work of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) work towards the conclusion of a United Nations convention on cybercrime to buttress global measures.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Furthermore, we await the report of the Violence Commission appointed by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to make recommendations for fundamental, holistic and inclusive solutions to the multifaceted challenges of crime and violence. We simply cannot, however, win that fight alone. Small island States like ours, with porous borders, rely on global partnerships to combat trafficking in persons, arms and drugs. Jamaica does not manufacture guns or ammunition. Countries that do and which serve as major consumers of drugs must do more to prevent their outflow and to fight those elements of transnational organized crime, which have massive impacts on developing countries like ours in the Caribbean region. Last year in this very Hall. Prime Minister Holness called for a war on guns comparable to the war on drugs (see A/77/PV.9).”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Jamaica has invested heavily in the men and women of our security forces and the technology and infrastructure needed to support their work. Improved working conditions, increased mobility and the use of forensics and new legislative tools are delivering results. In that regard, we welcome a 22-per cent reduction in serious crimes since the start of the year. We know there is much more to be done. We are committed to using every lawful tool to save lives and to ensure social cohesion, inclusivity and respect for the inherent dignity of every human being. Those elements are now embedded in the training and capacity-building of our security forces.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We are also now an economy that is growing in resilience and sustainability, having emerged from the pandemic in acceleration mode — a place where businesses can easily be started and can thrive, and where jobs are being created for women and men. Inspired by our motto. “Out of Many. One People”, we are building a cohesive society with opportunities for everyone to achieve their full potential. Peace is not merely the absence of conflict. It is a social condition defined by mutual respect and the acknowledgement of our shared humanity. It permits our societies to channel our collective energies towards building a better future for ourselves, our children and generations to come. In our own journey towards peace, as we tackle the twin-headed monster of crime and violence.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We must act now if we are to meet the hopes, dreams and aspirations of present and future generations. Jamaica has long been committed to ambition and action beyond our size. Notwithstanding our limitations as a small island developing State, and even in the face of enormous challenges, we have made significant strides in recent years in the delivery of peace, prosperity and progress for our people. That has not been easy. It has required bold, strategic, inclusive and steady leadership, sustained commitment, hard decisions and great collective sacrifice. We are a country with a strong track record of peace, democratic traditions, political stability and respect for human rights.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“On behalf of the Government and the people of Jamaica. Mr. President. I extend warmest congratulations to you on your election. We are proud to see a son of the Caribbean presiding over this pivotal seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly. We share your vision of a world in which trust is rebuilt, global solidarity is reignited and action is accelerated for the benefit of all our peoples. You can count on our fullest support in that endeavour. We meet at a time when the need for deliberate action is urgent on several global fronts. The Secretary- General has sounded the alarm and issued strong appeals for greater ambition and action. Young people all over the world have been expressing their frustrations and have been calling for more from us as leaders.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“They should advance all three key pillars of the work of the United Nations: peace and security, development and the promotion of human rights. A renewed and revitalized United Nations reform effort will allow us to reap the full benefits of multilateralism. I conclude by reaffirming Jamaica’s unfailing belief in our ability as a community of nations, whose destiny and prosperity are intertwined, to make a difference in the life of every human being. I therefore encourage all of us to be bold and unrelenting in our quest to make this world a better place, leaving no one behind. Let us go forward in the conviction that we can achieve peace and prosperity for our peoples and protect our planet for the benefit of future generations.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“With respect to the situation concerning Western Sahara, we recall the appeal of the Security Council to all parties to show realism and a spirit of compromise to move the negotiations forward. Jamaica therefore supports the relaunch of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, leading to the resumption of a process with the aim of reaching a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution. Our collective efforts in all these political, economic and social areas require an effective and dynamic United Nations. Jamaica therefore supports reforms that improve coordination, enhance coherence and strengthen the effectiveness of the Organization. Reform measures must ensure that the United Nations remains connected to the people it seeks to serve and must be informed by the realities on the ground in programme countries.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The most intractable disputes require us to engage collectively in the quest for lasting and meaningful solutions. In this regard, we reiterate our call for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. This unjust embargo has restricted the ability of a hard-working and self-reliant people to engage in legitimate trade, to travel and to undertake international financial transactions. Turning to the Middle East, we continue to believe that the best solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis rests in a negotiated political settlement based on a just, lasting and comprehensive agreement that guarantees the security of Israel and provides for a Palestinian State within internationally recognized borders.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Jamaica highly values the contribution that our diaspora makes to national development and to the development of their host countries. We are actively working on strategies to deepen our engagement. Consistent with a renewed focus on placing people at the centre of sustainable development, we must not forget the plight of the refugees and persons displaced by conflict and natural disasters — occurrences not of their own making. Against this background, the ongoing deliberations on the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration take on even more significance as we move to the intergovernmental negotiations phase during this session of the General Assembly. Jamaica’s adherence to the principles of the United Nations is rooted in a belief in multilateralism and the benefits we derive from collaboration and cooperation.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We will also protect our children from abuse by maintaining vigilance with respect to new and emerging threats, such as cyberbullying and sexual exploitation online. Earlier this year, Jamaica became a party to The Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, and enacted legislation for its implementation. As we strengthen our national institutional framework to address trafficking in children, we also look forward to participating in next week’s High-level Meeting on the Appraisal of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. The movement of persons across borders is a natural phenomenon. Migrants are an asset both to their countries of destination and their countries of origin.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We are also strengthening our policy and regulatory frameworks to address obesity in childhood and adulthood and other risk factors. Such efforts should be complemented by action taken at the global level. We therefore look forward to the 2018 high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases and reiterate the call for greater access by developing countries to the findings of modern research and technology. Jamaica is committed to the empowerment of women and girls, and our young people. We have revitalized our national youth parliament and created a national youth advisory council to ensure that young people have a voice at policymaking levels in our country. We are strengthening our legislative and policy frameworks to address violence against women and girls and to foster economic opportunities.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“However, what is viewed by international banks as a simple balance-sheet issue has had unintended negative spill-over effects for countries in the Caribbean, with serious political and economic consequences. We call for urgent international attention to be given to that deepening crisis. I now turn to the issue of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which exact a high socioeconomic and development cost on all countries, but disproportionately so in small island developing States. Jamaica agrees that an effective response to that global pandemic is best addressed through multi-stakeholder partnerships in a comprehensive whole-of-Government response. We are firmly on that path. Jamaica is addressing NCDs by promoting healthy lifestyles from birth, increasing awareness of NCDs and encouraging physical activity across the country.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Jamaica looks forward to the convening later this year of the eleventh World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires, which brings with it the potential for advancing the Doha Development Agenda. As a small island developing State with an open economy that is highly reliant on foreign trade, we are dependent on a vibrant and dynamic global trading environment. We must secure improved market opportunities beyond our shores. We cannot, however, participate in the international economic and trading system without correspondent banking relations. Several international banks have withdrawn correspondent banking services from many small countries, including in the Caribbean, in an effort to de-risk their client portfolios in response to stringent regulatory penalties for compliance breaches.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Accordingly, middle-income countries face the risk of having their hard-won socioeconomic gains reversed as a result of losing well-needed financial support, precisely at the time they need to consolidate and build on the gains they have made. We therefore commend and thank those, including the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Commonwealth Secretariat, that advocate for the application of a broader set of indicators that take account of the structural gaps in our countries. From a global perspective, it is important that the international economic and financial architecture be aligned with Agenda 2030 and take account of that very important distinction. Jamaica therefore urges that policymakers embed the SDGs into their design of international regulatory frameworks.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We are exploring innovative financial mechanisms that can spur the investments needed to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. Issues related to global economic governance, debt sustainability and SDG financing take on even more significance for highly indebted middle-income countries like Jamaica, which have large public investment needs but limited fiscal space. Our reduced access to concessionary finance and official development assistance is a direct consequence of our middle-income designation. We contend that the use of gross domestic product per capita as the sole criterion to graduate countries such as ours from concessionary financing represents an inadequate and inaccurate measure of a country’s true development status.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The alignment between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our national development plan, Vision 2030, creates a framework within which we can identify and achieve our priorities, not least of which is to ensure the dignity of the individual. What has become increasingly evident, however, is that securing the resources for the implementation of those development objectives remains critical at both the national and the international levels. In recognition of that fact, Jamaica has partnered with Canada to identify new and innovative means of financing development. Through the Group of Friends of SDG Financing, which our countries co-chair, we have been promoting the establishment of partnerships with the private sector, philanthropic organizations and academic institutions.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Jamaica has benefited from the support of our international partners, and we invite continued collaboration in curbing this illicit trade. We therefore look forward to the third Review Conference of the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, to be convened in 2018. Furthermore, Jamaica will continue to play its part in supporting the universalization and implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty. People and their well-being are at the heart of our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We remain focused on the most vulnerable of our citizens to ensure that those furthest behind will benefit first from the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We urge North Korea to immediately and fully comply with its international obligations under all relevant Security Council resolutions and to resume dialogue on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The challenges that currently impede global peace and security require that we identify and address the root causes of conflict. We therefore fully support the focus placed by the Secretary-General on sustaining peace across the continuum from prevention, conflict resolution and peacekeeping to peacebuilding and long- term development. We in Jamaica are working to provide our citizens with a safe and secure environment in which to live full and productive lives. Our strategy includes placing greater emphasis on safeguarding our porous borders, through which illicit firearms enter.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We have a long-standing commitment to the goal of achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world and are a State party to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which declared the Caribbean and Latin America as the first nuclear-weapon-free zone in a densely populated area. At the universal level, therefore, we welcome the fact that we now have the first global Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as a critical step towards addressing some of those concerns. It is our hope that it will enter into force in short order and be duly observed universally. As global citizens starkly aware of how closely our futures are intertwined, we condemn the recent nuclear and ballistic-missile tests carried out by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which pose a grave threat to international peace and security.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“That industry relies heavily on the long-term sustainable investments made by the private sector, both national and international. For this International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, we have sought to increase such investments, create more jobs, promote culture and support community development, while safeguarding the natural environment. In November, in partnership with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the World Bank Group, Jamaica looks forward to hosting the United Nations-WTO International Conference on Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, which will be the first time such a conference is being held in the Caribbean. Jamaica is deeply concerned about the heightened menace to international peace and security, arising particularly from the threat of nuclear weapons.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Jamaica ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in April, and regards that historic Agreement as critical to efforts to arrest the impact of climate change. Small island developing States were at the forefront of those negotiations and remain engaged in the Conference of the Parties process. It is an inescapable fact that we contribute the least to carbon emissions and yet we bear the brunt of the damage. In that context, we implore all Member States to abide by the commitments of the Agreement. Climate change also poses risks to tourism, which is an industry that owes its competitiveness to the pristine nature of our environment. Sustainable and inclusive economic growth and job creation are priorities for Jamaica, and tourism plays a critical role in ensuring that they are achieved.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In recognition of our vulnerabilities as a small island developing State and the attendant complexities of our status as a middle-income country, Jamaica is collaborating with Chile on a new initiative called the Resilient 20. It seeks to create an alliance to promote resilience in countries prone to natural disasters, with a focus on middle-income countries. We also support calls for the development of a climate change vulnerability index to provide a standardized method for characterizing vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change. That would enable international financial institutions and bilateral donors to better channel financial and technical resources towards countries most susceptible to loss and damage from climate change.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“While it is essential to attend to the immediate humanitarian needs and reconstruction efforts, we must also urgently address our long-term Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs). I urge that in our collective efforts to implement the SDGs, we take account of the tremendous challenges faced by vulnerable countries completely knocked off course by external shocks. In such circumstances, the review and follow-up mechanisms associated with the time-bound commitments of the Agenda are rendered meaningless. Therefore, we call on the United Nations system to establish a mechanism to provide the requisite support and compensation to vulnerable countries affected by natural disasters, where their implementation of the 2030 Agenda and progress towards achieving the SDGs have been derailed as a result of such external shocks.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Yet our ability to do so is greatly impacted by the new catastrophic events that cause social dislocation and severe misalignment of our economies. The limited resources that we have are dwarfed by the huge sums required to meet recovery and reconstruction costs. How do small States like ours, many already facing adverse debt dynamics, mobilize the financing required to build climate-resilient infrastructure? To do so, it is imperative that we identify both grant funds and concessionary financing that can support investment in resilient infrastructure over the long term. If not, we will continue to be caught in an inescapable cycle of devastation, recovery and reconstruction, until the next disaster strikes.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I am deeply moved by the fact that following the passage of two massive hurricanes, thousands of people across the Caribbean are now forced into a life that is dramatically different from what it was just a few days ago. On behalf of our Caribbean brothers and sisters directly impacted by the hurricanes, we wish to thank those countries and organizations that have given without being asked, and to urge those who have the means to support these countries and their peoples in this time of urgent need. For us in the Caribbean, climate change is not a philosophical concept or an academic debate. It is an existential issue. It is our reality, and it requires urgent and effective action. We are ever mindful of our responsibility to strengthen our resilience and expedite efforts towards adaptation and mitigation.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I am delighted to extend the warm congratulations of Jamaica to the President for assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at the seventy-second session and to assure him of our support. We are particularly pleased to note his selection of a theme that underscores the fundamental importance of the transformative 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development, which is a plan for people, planet and prosperity. I express, on behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, our deepest sympathies and prayers for the families and loved ones of victims of the recent hurricanes, which directly impacted our Caribbean brothers and sisters and those in the United States, as well as the families and loved ones of victims of recent earthquakes in Mexico, our dear friend from the region.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)