Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda sign UN development framework

The Bahamas has become the first country to officially sign the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2027–2031. Prime Minister Philip Davis and UN Resident Coordinator Dennis Zulu signed the agreement on October 19, 2026, during Diplomatic Week.

Following The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Belize also signed the framework. In Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Gaston Browne signed the agreement on October 23, 2026, in a ceremony attended by Simon Springett, the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

The framework aims to guide cooperation between participating governments and the UN development system over the next five years. Key priority areas include economic diversification, climate resilience, social protection, citizen security, and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. The agreement is designed to address specific challenges facing Caribbean small island states, such as economic dependence on narrow sectors, exposure to climate-related disasters, and financing constraints.