St Kitts and Nevis: PM Terrance Drew leads delegation to UN General Assembly in New York

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew attended the opening of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80), which took place on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 in New York.

He led a high-level delegation to the meeting, which included Senior Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Denzil Douglas; Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment, Dr Joyelle Clarke; Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Naeemah Hazelle; and the Federation’s Ambassador to the UN, Mutryce Williams.

At the opening of the session, UN Secretary General António Guterres, President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock of Germany, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, and U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the world leaders present at the UNGA 80.

St Kitts and Nevis’ participation is a part of their foreign policy which they use to develop global relationships, advocate for small countries, and present the Sustainable Island State Agenda. Prime Minister Drew will present the Federation’s National Statement on Saturday, September 27, 2025. He will highlight national priorities of diplomacy, climate resilience, economic sustainability, and fairness in global development.

While in New York, Prime Minister Drew met with Louise Mushikiwabo, who is the Secretary General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). They discussed St Kitts and Nevis’ great interest to join the Francophonie family, noting the nation’s French heritage as the first French colony in the Caribbean. Secretary General Mushikiwabo welcomed this interest and stressed the importance of growing OIF’s ties in the Caribbean.

PM Drew also shared that he had a private lunch with Kamal Amakrane, the Climate Envoy of the President of the UN General Assembly. They talked about climate resilience and improving cooperation which is aimed at protecting small island states.

In addition, the Prime Minister visited the Permanent Mission of St Kitts and Nevis to the UN to sign the guest book of tribute for the memory of Sir Edmund Wickham Lawrence, former Governor-General of the twin island nation. He described Sir Edmund's life as one of service and leadership, leaving a lasting legacy in the nation’s history.

PM Drew said that the first day of UNGA 80 was very productive, emphasizing his goal to build partnerships that advance the people of St Kitts and Nevis and improve the country’s voice on the global agenda.