ROAD TOWN, BVI--Premier and Minister of Finance, Andrew A. Fahie has received newly appointed United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Magdy Martinez-Soliman for high-level talks on recovery and sustainable development during a UNDP visiting mission to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) from August 1 to 3.
During the visiting mission, Martinez-Soliman presented his credentials to Premier Fahie and discussed areas in which the UNDP could further support the recovery and sustainable development of the Territory.
Speaking on the UNDP visiting mission, the premier said, “I was very pleased to receive Mr. Martinez-Soliman who was recently appointed UNDP Resident Representative for Barbados and the OECS. The BVI and sub-region will tremendously benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience as a development professional and former UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Policy Chief. My government is grateful for the technical assistance already provided by UNDP to the Territory after Hurricanes Irma and Maria and we look forward to working very closely with Martinez-Soliman’s good offices on future support for our recovery and sustainable development. A key objective is realising the full potential of our marine sector as we build a sustainable blue economy.”
Martinez-Soliman also paid a courtesy call on Governor Augustus Jaspert and held high-level meetings with Deputy Premier and Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities Kye Rymer; Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Vincent Wheatley; Minister for Health and Social Development, Carvin Malone; Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Sports, Agriculture and Fisheries, Natalio Wheatley; Deputy Governor David A. Archer, Financial Secretary Glenroy Forbes, Director of the Department of Disaster Management, Sharlene Dabreo; and representatives of the Family Support Network, Rotary Club of Tortola and Red Cross.
Martinez-Soliman was accompanied by UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Ugo Blanco and former Head of UNDP’s BVI Project Office, Luis Francisco Thais.
The UNDP is the primary UN agency tasked with supporting the development of countries around the world, guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
