Antigua and Barbuda and The Bahamas advocate for small states at UN

Leaders from Antigua and Barbuda and The Bahamas are participating in the 81st United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the interests of small island states.

Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne is engaging in talks with the European Union regarding citizenship by investment programmes operated by Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members. His diplomatic agenda also includes discussions on climate vulnerability, energy, health, and development financing, alongside meetings with representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, and the United Arab Emirates.

Representing The Bahamas, Minister of Innovation and National Development Sebastian J. D. Bastian participated in high-level discussions focused on artificial intelligence and disaster resilience. Bastian emphasized the need for small island developing states to have access to and capacity for emerging technologies, such as satellite imagery and early warning systems, to mitigate the impacts of hurricanes and other disasters. He called for the inclusion of small states in the initial design of global AI initiatives.