United Nations Radio

Ambassador Raymond Wolfe told the General Assembly's commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development that, notwithstanding the myriad challenges, Jamaica has recorded several important accomplishments in its efforts to implement the Programme of Action and to make it the cornerstone of all policies, plans and programmes pertinent to population and development matters.

Antigua and Barbuda calls for stock-taking on progress made since the 1994 Cairo Conference on Population and Development

Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda noted that with only five years left to fully achieve the goals and commitments of the 1994 Cairo Conference on Population and development, the ICPD, the time is opportune to take stock of the progress achieved, assess the challenges that remain and determine what is needed to ensure the next five years will result in a full and complete implementation and achievement. Ambassador Conrad Hunte is the deputy Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda.

Belize says the aftershocks of the global economic crisis have begun to affect its economy

All indications are that the aftershocks of the global economic crisis have now begun to affect Belize's real economy. That's what Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington told the UN General Assembly. He said Belize is experiencing declining levels of revenue, worrying reduction in productivity, diminishing remittances, crushing debt servicing obligations, unrelenting budgetary pressures, and a drying up of resources on which to draw upon.  He said the time for inclusive multilateralism is now.

The Bahamas says it acted quickly to soften the impact of the international economic downturn on its population

The Bahamas noted that the current global financial and economic crisis, the worst since the Great Depression, threatens to negate all that has been achieved thus far on the development agenda, both at the national and international levels. Foreign Minister T. Brent Symonette said the fallout for The Bahamas has been considerable.

Producer: Donn Bobb
Duration: 15 minutes