Johnson Smith to lead Jamaica’s delegation to 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, will lead Jamaica’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81), where the country will advance priorities including development financing, peace and security, climate resilience, and reform of the multilateral system. “Jamaica remains firmly committed to principled and effective multilateralism, because the challenges before us are shared and so too must be the solutions. At UNGA81, we will work with partners across regions to advance cooperation on peace and security, financing for development, climate resilience and reform of the international system,” Johnson Smith said in a ministry news release on Saturday. She continued, “We will seek to strengthen partnerships that support our efforts at sustainable and inclusive development, including building resilience. Jamaica will bring its experiences and perspectives to the table, working in a spirit of mutual respect and shared responsibility to help shape outcomes that benefit our region and other developing countries.” The minister’s emphasis on effective multilateralism speaks directly to the theme the assembly has set for the 81st session, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All”. Jamaica is contributing directly to that effort through its co-chairmanship of the General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Working Group on Mandate Implementation Review, held jointly with Norway by Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Brian Wallace, helping to reshape how UN decisions are designed, implemented and assessed. The ministry said matters relating to financing development will remain central to Jamaica’s advocacy. It said the country continues to press for international financial arrangements that better recognise the unique challenges facing countries like Jamaica and provide developing states with affordable resources to invest in resilience, infrastructure and sustainable growth. According to the ministry, Jamaica’s experience with increasingly severe climate shocks further underscores the case for adaptation and loss-and-damage financing accessible to vulnerable countries before development gains are reversed. Jamaica will also continue building international cooperation against transnational organised crime, gangs and illicit weapons flows, while maintaining its strong advocacy for sustained international support for peace, stability and development in countries like Haiti. Throughout High-Level Week, scheduled for September 21 to 28, Johnson Smith will also hold bilateral talks with other foreign ministers and heads of international organisations to strengthen existing partnerships and pursue new opportunities in trade, investment and for technical cooperation.