Thank you, Co-facilitators  

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the 14 Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).  

I begin by thanking the co-chairs and their teams for setting out so clearly the roadmap for the “production” phase of this very important exercise. As we said during the “discovery phase” the well-spaced and reasonably-timed phasing of our discussions plays a critical role in allowing all countries to participate meaningfully in this exercise.

We also welcome the proposal for a series of “hybrid workshops” to allow us all to dive deeper into the various issues. If successful, this innovative approach will facilitate genuine dialogue and interaction among member states as well as a better understanding as to how the various ideas you have put forward in the “zero draft” interact among one another.

I turn now to the “zero draft” itself.

Co-chairs,

CARICOM has six broad points to make today. We look forward to the hybrid workshops to go into further detail.

First, CARICOM approaches this exercise from the starting point that we have full trust and confidence in the co-facilitators. We consider that this draft and subsequent drafts always represent your best, good-faith efforts to reflect in a balanced manner the interests and concerns of all member states. In that sense our group will not – and we encourage others to take a similar approach – engage in a line-by-line, text-focused approach to this exercise. Rather, we will provide guidance and trust you and your teams to craft the text .

Second, regarding form, we welcome the fact that you have chosen to go straight to the heart of the matter without a long series of preambular paragraphs. This is a welcome approach which I hope other processes will emulate.

Third, we agree that this informal working group should be formalised and turned into a Working Group to monitor the implementation of the resolution we ultimately agree to. Such an open-monitoring and evaluation mechanism is at the heart of this entire exercise.

Fourth, regarding mandate creation, we agree that the creation of new mandates should be contingent on providing to UN member states and the UN system a sense of what they will require. This should include budgetary and administrative requirements as well as built-in and, where possible standardized review and sunset mechanisms.  

Fifth, regarding mandate implementation, we agree with the zero draft that it is vital to empower the Secretary-General and the agencies and programmes of the UN system in carrying out these mandates, especially as it relates to activities on the ground in our countries and regions.  

This, of course, presupposes that member states have provided the system the necessary resources to achieve these objectives. That begins by the payment by all member states of their assessed contributions, in full, on time and without conditions. When this does not happen, it turns our efforts into a mere cost-cutting exercise, an outcome that CARICOM would sincerely deplore.

Finally, regarding mandate review, we welcome the broad panoply of technical, digital and administrative tools you have set out in the zero draft. We also are pleased to see that, despite the difficulties this will involve, you have not shirked from the need to look at our existing mandates.  

CARICOM believe this is important if we are to tackle some of the existing challenges for our organization – not just those that are to come. This review must be rigorous, yield real results while respecting the interests and prerogatives of member states as the principal stakeholder of this organization.

I thank you.