WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao will participate in the annual United Nations High-Level Week in New York later this month, where the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands will push for better access to international financing, greater climate resilience and stronger recognition of the vulnerabilities facing small island states.
The UN High-Level Week will take place from September 21 through 27. The Kingdom delegation will include government representatives from Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands. Queen Máxima also intends to participate in her capacity as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health.
Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten are being given a distinct role in the Kingdom’s priorities for the new UN session because of their position as Small Island Developing States (SIDS). These countries face particular economic and climate-related vulnerabilities because of their size, geographic location and exposure to external shocks.
At the UN, the Caribbean countries intend to emphasize sustainable development, climate resilience and access to financing. Small island economies often face difficulties accessing international financing despite being disproportionately exposed to climate change and global economic disruptions.
Sea-level rise will be one of the major issues addressed during the week. The Kingdom considers rising sea levels an existential threat to small island states and intends to work with other island nations and countries advocating more ambitious international climate action.
A special meeting on sea-level rise is expected to result in an international declaration addressing the issue.
The Kingdom’s position builds on previous international agreements concerning small island states, including the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS and commitments made during the UN conference on financing for development.
A central concern is how vulnerable countries can gain fairer access to international financial resources needed to strengthen infrastructure, adapt to climate change and build more resilient economies.
The Kingdom also sees Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten as strategically important in its international diplomacy, describing the Caribbean countries as potential bridges to other small island states as well as the wider Caribbean and Latin America.