Kingston, United Nations Environment, in partnership with the Government of Jamaica, formally opened the doors to its new Caribbean Office- based in Kingston, Jamaica, today.
Erik Solheim, Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Environment along with representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cut the ribbon at the organization’s 3rd floor office.
UN Environment, which hosts the Caribbean Regional Seas programme, has been operating in Kingston since 1986. However, with the establishment of the UN Environment Caribbean Office, both Jamaica and the Caribbean will benefit from expertise, policies and activities aimed at improving the environmental sustainability of the region.
Newly appointed Head of the Caribbean Office, Mr. Vincent Sweeney, said that “the new Caribbean Office will bring the full range of environmental services provided by UN Environment closer to the Caribbean. It will build on the many years of good work done by the Regional Seas Programme and Secretariat for the Cartagena Convention, which is also hosted by UN Environment and which has been based in Kingston for many years”.
UN Environment, in line with the 2030 Agenda, provides leadership and encourages partnerships for environmental matters relating to climate change, renewable energy and resource efficiency and disaster and ecosystem management among other areas.