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Antigua and Barbuda diplomat delivers stark warning on behalf of SIDS at Paris Summit

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Antigua and Barbuda’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Tumasie Blair painted a bleak future for Small Island Developing States should the status quo that has denied them the opportunity to build resilient economies and achieve prosperity be allowed to continue. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES.

Blair joined a distinguished panel of speakers during an interactive discourse during last week’s Paris Summit in France. The panel included President of the Caribbean Development Bank Dr. Hyginus ‘Gene’ Leon,  leading economist Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Canada’s Minister of International Development Harjit Sajjan who delivered keynote addresses during the event.

Blair joined the speakers in discussing the pressing challenges being faced by SIDS and the urgency in devising the solutions that would help them escape a perilous future during the Paris Summit in France late last week.

Heads of government and leading experts from across the globe were brought together for two days during the Paris Summit in an effort to address frontally the inequalities in the international financial system that make it difficult for countries like Antigua and Barbuda to overcome their unique developmental challenges.

To achieve this, the conveners of the Paris Summit headed by President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados indicated that the goal must be a more responsive, fairer and more inclusive international financial system to fight inequalities, finance the climate transition, and ultimately bring developing countries closer to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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Blair was however quick to remind that SIDS  no longer find comfort and encouragement in ‘talk’ and only firm and decisive action would help them escape a vicious cycle that keeps them constantly pleading for support to recover from burdensome debt and the devastating impacts of climate change.

“I will be frank. We have been having these conversations for the past 30 years and the overwhelming analysis is that SIDS are in trouble,” Blair declared. “If SIDS are in trouble, then the world is in trouble,” he further warned.

The Antiguan and Barbudan diplomat, a key figure in the work by a high-level panel co-chaired by Prime Minister Gaston Browne in the creation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), however, noted that all hope is not lost.

He pointed to the MVI, which seeks to establish a country’s vulnerability as a factor in qualifying it for concessionary financing, as well as the UN’s SDG Stimulus Plan and the Bridgetown Initiative as practical solutions that can create the necessary fiscal space in developing countries for them to achieve resilient prosperity.

“Now if we take these into St. John’s next year, where Antigua and Barbuda will host the 4th SIDS conference, then all these combined will provide the means of implementation of the next 10-year framework for SIDS,” Blair explained.

He further indicated that Antigua and Barbuda will put forward a proposal to establish a Center of Excellence for SIDS as a strong deliverable from the 4th SIDS Conference. The Center will address the data challenges of SIDS, allow for capacity building for all affected territories, provide analysis and track all financing related to SIDS and will allow for homegrown solutions and biannual assessment of the next 10-year framework that will be adopted in Antigua next year.

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One response to “Antigua and Barbuda diplomat delivers stark warning on behalf of SIDS at Paris Summit”

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

 

OECS MSME Guarantee Facility Project

Loan No.: IDA-62670, IDA-62660, IDA-62640, IBRD-88830, IDA-62650

Assignment Title: Senior Operating Officer (SOO)

Reference No. KN-ECPCGC-207852-CS-INDV

 

The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received financing in the amount of US$10 million equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of establishing a partial credit guarantee scheme, and they intend to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, and consulting services to be procured under this project. 

The consultant will serve as the “Senior Operating Officer (SOO)” for the ECPCGC and should possess extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to Micro, small and medium-sized businesses, knowledge of the internal control processes necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate should possess an Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in lending, inclusive of MSME lending. The initial employment period will be for two years on a contractual basis. Renewal of the contract will be subject to a performance evaluation at the end of the contractual period. The assignment is expected to begin on September 30th, 2021.  The consultant will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the ECPCGC.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be viewed by following the attached link below. 

 

https://bit.ly/3iVannm

 

The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have:

  • An Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Finance, Banking or related field; and
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in MSME lending. Applicants should also have:
  • The ability to design and implement risk management procedures 
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to small and medium-sized businesses
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME banking operations
  • Knowledge of the internal controls necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk management procedures
  • Experience developing and presenting information in public, including responding to questions in real-time
  • Experience lending to MSMEs located in the ECCU
  • Knowledge of marketing and communicating with the MSME sector
  • Ability to draft procedures to be used in a lending operation
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a loan guarantee program
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and
  • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite.

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers July 2016, [revised November 2017] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Approved Selection Method for Individual Consultants set out in the clause 7.34 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0800 to 1700 hours:

Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation

Brid Rock, Basseterre,

St. Kitts.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form by e-mail by August 11th, 2021, to [email protected]

 

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Gomez-Trigg                                                            Bernard Thomas

Chief Executive Officer                                                          Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 868-620-8144                                                                  Tel: 869-765-2385

Email: [email protected]                                          [email protected]