Caribbean SIDS receive support in building capacity to produce SDG indicators

Countries in the subregion are set to meet to identify a set of core indicators, from among the global indicators for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that the Caribbean would regard as essential to produce.

The SDGs are a set of 17 global goals adopted by the UN General Assembly just over a year ago. The Goals, among others, are aimed at ending poverty, promoting decent work and economic growth, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all as part of a sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years and over 200 global indicators have been identified for use in monitoring progress in the implementation of the goals and the attainment of the targets.

Due to data challenges in the Caribbean, the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians has called for the identification of a subset of these indicators to allow for sustainable monitoring of the goals in the subregion. This subset will focus on regional and national priorities as well as SIDS priorities as contained in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway Outcome document.

The SAMOA Pathway outlines the key challenges faces by SDIS and the means of addressing them, through focussed attention on sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilities.

Through this meeting, ECLAC is partnering with DESA and the CARICOM Secretariat in identifying capacity constraints in the Caribbean that could affect the production of data for the SDG indicators and the technical assistance that would be required to enable countries conduct their follow up and review of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Participants at this meeting will include representatives of national statistical offices, government ministries and agencies responsible for planning, sustainable development and the environment, the CARICOM Secretariat, and representatives of UN agencies.