Port of Spain, September 23, 2019 – To complement existing actions and the extensive body of work by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) in facilitating environmental stewardship and Caribbean civil society participation in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), CANARI is pleased to appoint Ambassador Dessima Williams as its new SDGs Champion.

A native of Grenada but true Caribbean woman, Ambassador Williams is a Director on the Board of CANARI and a Former Special Adviser on the Implementation of SDGs at the United Nations, as well as a
Former Ambassador of Grenada. As SDGs Champion, Ambassador Williams will work alongside CANARI to raise awareness and add greater visibility to actions by Caribbean civil society in helping to achieve the SDGs and provide strategic guidance as CANARI and its partners continue to engage in SDGs processes nationally, regionally and globally.

The independent international development specialist and diplomat has been a long-time supporter of sustainable development, including in her role as Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) leading on challenging international negotiations on issues facing small islands due to climate change. Her knowledge, expertise and experience in global policies, particularly with respect to sustainable development, will be very useful in providing strategic guidance to CANARI and its civil society partners working in sustainable development in the Caribbean.

Ambassador Williams is a long-standing supporter of strong civil society involvement in sustainable development. Advocating for everyone to engage in the SDGs, she says that, “I encourage you to
continue to work at the global, regional and local level to ensure that the 2030 Agenda is understood and owned by citizens, communities, local and national governments, civil society organizations of all
levels, and enterprises of all sizes.”

The 17 interconnected SGDs, which were agreed at the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030. They address the global
challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Caribbean continues to increase its commitment to achieving the
SDGs. CANARI is playing a leading role in facilitating Caribbean civil society engagement and participation in the SDGs – including as implementers, advocates and watchdogs.

Birthed through its work on the EU-funded project CSOs For Good Governance: Enhancing civil society’s contribution to governance and development processes in Trinidad and Tobago (CSOs4GoodGov), some of CANARI’s more recent and key contributions in facilitating and catalysing effective civil society
participation and role in achieving the SDGs, include:
• development and hosting of the Caribbean Civil Society Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Knowledge Platform. This platform is a dynamic virtual space designed to provide easy online access
to information relevant to the SDGs and its implementation at the national and regional level, with particular focus on the transformative role that civil society organisations (CSOs) are playing in the process.
• convening the SDGs Catalysts Network in Trinidad and Tobago, which could serve as a model for CSO
engagement in development and policy processes in the wider Caribbean region and elsewhere.

In addition, CANARI’s own contribution over the last 30 years has been an integrated approach to sustainable development that recognises the interlinkages between healthy natural ecosystems and livelihoods and well-being of Caribbean people and is well recognised in the region. To strengthen this work, CANARI is pleased to announce this new appointment of Ambassador Dessima Williams as its SDGs Champion.

About CANARI: The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) is a regional technical non-profit institute which has been working across the islands of the Caribbean for 30 years. Our mission is to promote and facilitate stakeholder participation in the stewardship of natural resources in the Caribbean. Our work focuses on Equity, Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Resilience, and Participatory Governance. See here for more information on CANARI: http://www.canari.org/.