John Briceño: ‘Unprecedented Times Demand Unprecedented Actions’

World leaders gathered at the 79^th United Nations General Assembly for the Summit of the Future, adopting the Pact for the Future Resolution. This initiative includes the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations, aimed at bridging digital divides and ensuring a sustainable world for future generations.

During the Summit of the Future, Prime Minister John Briceño called on global leaders to see the adoption of the Summit Outcome documents as the starting point for transformative change. He stated, “The adoption of the pact for the future, the global digital compact, and the declaration on future generations must not be seen as an end, but rather as a beginning.” Briceño emphasised that these agreements serve as a foundation for future action.

 

 

Briceño pointed out the challenges posed by what he described as a “triple planetary crisis and a development crisis.” He warned that “human and planetary capacities are approaching limits from which there may be no rebound.” The Prime Minister noted that climate and development goals are slipping further away, with recent data indicating that global warming has exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time in a twelve-month period.

Briceño called for unprecedented actions across all levels of governance, stating, “These are unprecedented times; they demand unprecedented actions.” He underscored the need for investments in education, healthcare, and support for micro, small, and medium enterprises, particularly in small island developing states.

He also cited the “Antigua and Barbuda agenda for SIDS” as a “forward-looking blueprint for resilient prosperity.”

“My country, like other small island developing states, still lacks representation where decisions are being made on our behalf. As a placebo, we may be given the privilege of a five-minute intervention on a matter that will have consequential impacts on our future,” Briceño added.