Virgin Islands' Special Envoy Mr E. Benito Wheatley, right, with Dominican Republic's Minister of Foreign Affairs Víctor Orlando Bisonó at the 41st Session of ECLAC in de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. Photo: Office of the Premier

From left: Former President of Chile Michelle Bachellet and VI Special Envoy E. Benito Wheatley; Mr Wheatley and Vice President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Peña. Photo: Office of the Premier

The call was made by the Virgin Islands' Special Envoy, Mr E. Benito Wheatley, in his official statement at the 41st Session of ECLAC in de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, as his term as Vice Chair of UN ECLAC's highest inter-governmental body on behalf of the Virgin Islands (VI) ended.

According to a press release from the Office of the Premier, while Mr Wheatley acknowledged the productive transformation elements of the strategy document presented by ECLAC at the meeting entitled, "Managing Transformations in an Era of Ruptures," produced by a special ECLAC Commission established by Executive Secretary H.E. Jose Manuel Salazaar-Xirinachs and co-chaired by former President of Chile Ms Michelle Bachelet and former President of Colombia Mr Iván Duque, he argued that the strategy document had limited application to Caribbean microstates such as the VI that cannot produce or export manufactured or agricultural goods at scale and whose economies will rely on services for the foreseeable future.

Mr Wheatley called on ECLAC to engage with Caribbean SIDS to develop a productive transformation strategy that can help Caribbean SIDS to achieve productive transformation on the basis of services.

AI: a potential for Caribbean SIDS

The Special Envoy highlighted Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a potential tool and driver of productive development for Caribbean SIDS. He also emphasised the importance of aligning productive development and climate resilience to reduce vulnerability and increase productivity.

“UN ECLAC is an important partner for Caribbean SIDS, and it is critical that we deepen our engagement on productive transformation and productive development. The end goal is the structural transformation of the subregion that improves the standard of living and quality of life of our people."

Mr Wheatley pledged that the VI will continue to advocate for ECLAC support to SIDS, "even as our term on the ECLAC Leadership Bureau is now at an end. It was an honour for me personally to serve as Vice Chair of the 40th Session of ECLAC on behalf of the BVI.”

The Special Envoy congratulated Minister of Foreign Affairs Víctor Orlando Bisonó on the Government of the Dominican Republic’s assumption of the Chairmanship of the 41st Session of ECLAC and pledged the VI's support.

The BVI remains Vice Chair of the 30th Session of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) and Vice Chair of the 2nd Regional Conference on South-South Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean, represented by Mr Wheatley.