Already having dealt a devastating blow to the tourism and service sectors across the region, adversely impacting the mainly small and open economies, the impact of the coronavirus has left the countries of the Caribbean “staggering”, according to United Nations Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Didier Trebucq.
And while Trebucq says that the UN is working closely with the region in this crisis period, he asserts that it is becoming increasingly evident that a multi-sectorial response is required to meet, particularly, “immediate emergency health care and response needs, while ensuring that a social safety net is created to support people whose income may drastically reduce… and to protect the rights of the most vulnerable citizens.” This multi-faceted approach would seek to mitigate shocks and support recovery efforts from a crisis that may exacerbate existing inequalities and result in losing past years’ gains towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
