Minister Archer calls for greater role for small states in global development

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Youth and Culture, Senator Shane Archer has called for smaller nations to play a defining role in shaping sustainable global development in industry, innovation and infrastructure.

Speaking at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York recently, Senator Archer said small states should not be expected to simply catch up with outdated development models. Instead, he said they should be empowered to help shape new ones.

Making reference to Sustainable Development Goals 9 (SGD 9) – Industry, innovation and infrastructure, he added, “When youth, culture, technology and resilience come together, SDG 9 stops being a target on paper and starts becoming a platform for transformation.

“If SDG9 is to mean anything in this era, it cannot be about building more and calling that progress. It has to be about building smarter, fairer, faster, so that people can actually feel development in their lives. That is the message from Barbados.”

Senator Archer further stressed that the pillars of industry, innovation, and infrastructure must evolve to meet real human needs.

“For Small Island Developing States, industry must do more than produce – it must open doors. Innovation must do more than impress – it must solve. Infrastructure must do more than stand – it must connect people to opportunity, resilience and dignity.”

He also outlined a clear vision for equitable development and emphasised the importance of access.

“The future we are arguing for is one where infrastructure includes digital access, clean energy, modern public systems and the tools that let a young entrepreneur, a creative worker or a small business from Bridgetown compete on equal footing.

“It is one where innovation is not treated as the privilege of large countries but as the right of every nation willing to think boldly, govern intelligently and move with purpose. It is one where industry is no longer defined only by what comes off an assembly line but also by what comes from the minds, culture and the talent of our people. This is where Barbados has something real to say.”

The ECOSOC Youth Forum is held annually and provides a platform for young people to contribute to policy discussions at the UN through their collective ideas, solutions and innovations. It serves as a global platform, for young people, member states, the UN system and other partners to exchange ideas, showcase innovative solutions and strengthen youth engagement in accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This year’s forum focussed on transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs.