Minister Humphrey Calls for Partnerships to Shape a Resilient Future

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, yesterday addressed the session “Together Towards Tomorrow: Social Progress for Sustainable Development – From Barbados to Qatar” at the Sixth Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was convened by ECLAC and UNDP in Brasília.

In his remarks, Minister Humphrey drew a sharp contrast between the 20th century development model, which was largely land-based and limited by small physical borders, and the 21st century reality, where Barbados now sees itself as a large ocean state leveraging the blue economy for growth and resilience.

He noted that Barbados’ development agenda has been shaped by the urgency of the climate crisis and highlighted national efforts in the energy transition. These include the commitment to becoming carbon neutral, the acquisition of the largest fleet of electric buses in the region, and the removal of duties on electric vehicle imports to accelerate uptake.

Minister Humphrey also pointed to innovative financing tools such as debt-for-climate swaps, and underlined the importance of the Bridgetown Initiative, which is calling for reforms in the international financial system so that developing countries can access affordable and timely financing for resilience and social progress.

He closed by stressing the central role of partnerships, particularly with multilateral institutions that must be reformed to respond more directly to the needs of small states. “If we are to build a future that is inclusive, sustainable, and fair, then partnerships rooted in justice and solidarity must be at the heart of our development model,” he said.

The Minister reaffirmed Barbados’ commitment to shaping a development pathway that reduces vulnerability, fosters resilience, and secures prosperity for present and future generations. (PR/GIS)