Welcome to the United Nations
Advancing the 2030 Agenda to create A Resilient Saint Lucia
MAIN MESSAGES 2025
Saint Lucia’s vision “to build a resilient and inclusive Nation for a more sustainable and productive future for our people” is ingrained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The presentation of Saint Lucia’s second voluntary national review coincides with the completion of the Medium-Term Development Strategy, 2021-2026. This national development plan is based on the Theory of Change methodology and highlights three pillars necessary for advancement: Economic, Environmental, Social and Human Capital Resilience. The establishment of Cabinet-endorsed multisectoral committees, such as the national coordinating mechanism for the SDGs and the adoption of key instruments in e.g. climate, oceans, sustainable consumption and production and energy, demonstrate Saint Lucia’s commitment to the implementation of the SDGs. However, Saint Lucia recognizes the need for increased statistical and technical capacity, and improved monitoring frameworks.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the economy, placed tremendous pressure on the healthcare sector and social protection systems, ultimately hindering national development strategies. Post COVID-19, economic growth rebounded by 12.2% in 2021 due, in part, to the tourism, manufacturing and construction sectors. Unemployment rates have decreased to 8.8% in the fourth quarter of 2024. Expansions in healthcare services have contributed to drastic decreases in child and maternal mortality rates and cases of infectious diseases, while efforts to reduce the increasing rates of non-communicable diseases are ongoing. The completion of the Saint Jude Hospital Reconstruction Project will further boost healthcare provision and address growing healthcare demands.
Social protection systems, such as the National Insurance Scheme which covers 73.1% of the working population, the Public Assistance Programme, the Child Disability Grant and the Human Capital Resilience Programme, have expanded during and post-COVID-19 and integrated a gender-inclusive focus to reduce inequalities and ensure the inclusion of the most vulnerable. Further, the recently revised National Social Protection Policy and Action Plan, the improved National Eligibility Targeting Tool and new strategy for graduation from social assistance, will further advance social protection measures.
As a Small Island Developing State, we continue to chart a path toward climate resilience. This cross-cutting theme is reflected in national development frameworks, notably, the 2024 Climate Change Act and sectoral strategies and plans under the National Adaptation Plan; and in key sectors such as energy, infrastructure and the blue economy. These seek to address impacts, safeguard natural capital and facilitate private sector involvement and investment. In 2025, Saint Lucia submitted its Third Nationally Determined Contribution, committing to further reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy and transport sectors by 22% in 2035, relative to 2010. Additionally, reforestation will sequester 33 ktCO2 by 2035, compared to 2010, while the cooling sector will cut 10% of fluorinated gases from the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors by 2035. This will be achieved through enhanced deployment of wind and solar energy with battery storage, upgrades to the grid infrastructure, continued efforts to improve energy efficiency, and enhanced uptake of electric vehicles.
Saint Lucia continues to accelerate progress related to peace, justice, and partnerships, despite limitations. Rising crime rates present increasing challenges to citizen security; therefore, the Government has instituted strategies, including a new Crime Bill, to enhance public safety and economic stability. Civil society and private sector partners continue to work alongside the Government to promote progress in several areas, including social protection, climate change adaptation, economic growth and gender inclusiveness. In response to limited access to grant financing due to the country’s classification as a middle-income country, the Government will work to strengthen its Public Sector Investment Programme, expand its donor base and explore alternative financing mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships and disaster financing to further advance progress on the Goals.
