Chairman of the Caribbean Regional Youth Council, Roshanna Trim has urged developed countries to “stop playing an amateur game of checkers” with people’s lives and start taking meaningful action to help Small Island Developing states tackle the issues that threaten their existence.
She issued the call on Thursday while addressing the closing session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 15.
The leader of the Youth Forum, who said she was speaking on behalf of millions of young people globally, told leaders of powerful nations to stop paying lip service and “put your money where your mouth is”.
Calling out developed countries for not doing enough to address climate change and vaccine inequality, Trim said world leaders should take stock of the gross inequality and “alarming injustices of the modern world” and do more to help developing and least developed countries emerge from the rubble of the COVID-19 pandemic and address other matters with which they have been struggling.
“While COVID has disrupted many aspects of our lives, in many ways it has simply brought to the fore the daily reality of the world’s most vulnerable. The lip service that has been paid is unacceptable. We cannot continue to play an amateur game of checkers with the lives of billions around the world living in poverty, without access to water, housing, education and other necessities,” she said.
“It is time for developed countries to put their money where their mouth is. It is time for us to be truthful about the consequences of our inaction.”
Trim added that it was “almost cruel” for countries that have contributed most to greenhouse gas emissions and the broader climate crisis to be doing so little “while the countries on the frontline of global warming have to deal with the repercussions and face frequent disasters”.
“It should make us uncomfortable that many developed countries can provide booster shots to their population while many developing countries cannot secure [COVID-19] vaccines for their population,” she added.
“Resilience and prosperity for all remain a pipe dream when we have not addressed the mistreatment of Haiti and Cuba.”
However, Trim said based on discussions coming out of UNCTAD 15, which was held in Barbados from October 3-7, and with the leadership of UNCTAD Secretary General Rebeca Grynspan and UNCTAD President Prime Minister Mia Mottley, “we can make up for lost time” in building back “better, bigger and together”.
“As young people around the world rise to the occasion, we expect global leaders to do the same. From inequality and vulnerability to equality and prosperity for all is the call. Show up and show out, pull up and change the riddim (rhythm),” said Trim.
During the wrap-up session, the Bridgetown Covenant, an agreement on global trade and development; and the Political Declaration, known as the Spirit of Speightstown, were adopted.
The Bridgetown Covenant will guide the development and execution of UNCTAD’s programmes aimed at addressing a range of economic, social and environmental issues in developing countries in the coming years. (marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb)
