"Reset of Global Economic Development Model is urgently needed," says Barbados PM

Bridgetown: Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has expressed the view that a complete reset of the global economic development model is urgently needed.

Mottley shared this view as she addressed the opening ceremony of the first three-day UNCTAD 15 Gender and Development Forum.

She told participants that emerging priorities that may be of concern to ministerial discussions at UNCTAD 15 include the COVID-19 crisis; the climate crisis; food safety; the debt crisis and the question of financing for development.

“Dealing with just one of these issues would be a real challenge. Dealing with all of them at once is simply catastrophic. This unprecedented convergence further exacerbates the very inequalities and vulnerabilities that we aim to address, and, as I certainly don't have to tell you, the economic and social impact of our current situation, unfortunately, falls disproportionately on women and girls.

“That's why, right now, your Forum matters; your advocacy is important and your critical solutions oriented thinking is important. You will meet on the eve of the first post-COVID trade ministerial meeting. UNCTAD 15 will certainly be affected by the realization that there is no longer any “normal” to return to, and that a complete reset of the international economic development paradigm is urgently needed…. If at this unique moment in history we cannot succeed in moving the political needle, then… we never will,” insisted Mottley.

She reiterated that moral strategic leadership was the most critical requirement required at the present time, and explained that political leadership was required, but not exclusively, as governments alone could not help countries. to progress better. She stressed that countries can only be successful if there is leadership at all levels and in all sectors of society.

Recalling that the director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, recently said he believed it was scientifically proven that women were better leaders in this crisis, the Prime Minister highlighted three appointments of women to important international institutions. They are the Director General of the World Trade Organization in March of this year; the Secretary-General of UNCTAD in September and the Executive Director of the International Trade Center.

“They are certainly… not symbolically named people, and their combined presence and influence at the heart of the international trade and development structure in Geneva sends a powerful message that more inclusive and responsive trade and development policies. genre could now exist, given the priority they deserve. And we say this, knowing that Ngozi [Okonjo-Iweala], Rebeca [Grynspan] and Pamela [Coke-Hamilton] will be a powerful triumvirate to represent our gender, ” Mottley said.