The United Nations in Multi-Country Office (MCO) Jamaica

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Jamaica, as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), embodies the unique vulnerabilities that typify this group of countries limited natural and financial resources, economic dependence on tourism and imports, and high exposure to climate-related and external shocks. These structural constraints have shaped the country’s development trajectory, conditioned its progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and heightened its exposure to global disruptions.

In recent years, a combination of domestic and international shocks including the COVID-19 pandemic, global geo-political spillovers amplifying inflationary pressures, as well as climate-related disasters have tested the country’s resilience and impacted the pace of development. Despite these challenges, Jamaica has demonstrated a firm and sustained commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, embodied in Vision 2030 Jamaica, the country’s long-term national development plan, and implemented through successive Medium-Term Socio-Economic Policy Frameworks (MTFs).

The United Nations Development System in Jamaica works with the government, civil society, private sector and other partners to support the country’s progress towards its national priorities and the SDGs, operationalizing the higher-level outcomes of the Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF) for the Caribbean in concrete, measurable and time bound outputs and activities for Jamaica, through the Country Implementation Plan (CIP).

Caption: Kingston, Jamaica, 7 May 2024 – Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are the latest countries in the Americas to receive certification from the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating the mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis (EMTCT).

As part of the joint strategic planning process to develop the MSDCF and the CIP, the UN carries out a Common Country Analysis (CCA). The UN Common Country Analysis is a systematic, integrated, and evidence-based assessment of a country’s development context and a forward-looking analysis of its development trajectory.

It serves as a crucial analytical tool for the UN to understand the development challenges and opportunities within a country and to inform its programming efforts. The CCA helps the UN identify key development issues, analyse the national development situation, and ensure that the UN’s response at the country level is aligned with national development priorities.

Reference: United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (2025). Common Country Analysis: Jamaica.

Milestones

1 - SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing – Crisis Response & Maternal Health

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa (2025/2026), the UN and the Government of Jamaica successfully restored critical health services at four regional hospitals. Through a US$4 million CERF allocation, thousands of women and newborns received life-saving Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) kits and Dignity Kits, ensuring that maternal care remained a priority even during climate-induced disasters.

2 - (SDG 3): The Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis (EMTCT)

Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are the latest countries in the Americas to receive certification from the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating the mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis (EMTCT). The milestone was marked in 2024 at a commemorative event organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Kingston, Jamaica, with support from UNICEF and UNAIDS and with the participation of health ministers from the three countries.

3 - (SDG 13): Climate Adaptation and Green Finance

Jamaica successfully launched its first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) with support from the Green Climate Fund. Parallel to this, the Green Bond Project (launched in 2021) has provided a roadmap for raising domestic and regional capital to finance energy efficiency, clean transportation, and sustainable agriculture, moving the country closer to its net-zero and resilience targets.

4 - (SDG 14 & 17): Global Leadership in Ocean Conservation

In early 2026, Jamaica reached a diplomatic milestone by signing the landmark Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). This "High Seas Treaty" reinforces Jamaica's role as a powerful voice for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and promotes international cooperation to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.

5 - (SDG 12 & 14): Expansion of Single-Use Plastic Bans

Building on its 2019 initiatives, Jamaica implemented advanced regulations under the Trade and NRCA Orders to prohibit the manufacture and commercial use of specific single-use plastics, including products containing microplastics. This move significantly reduces environmental degradation and promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12).

6 - SDG 4: Quality Education – Historic Partnership with UNESCO

A major milestone was reached in 2026 with the first visit by a UNESCO Director-General to Jamaica in 23 years. This mission solidified a strategic roadmap for inclusive and ethical AI governance within the education sector and the protection of local knowledge, ensuring that Jamaica’s youth are prepared for a digital-first global economy.

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The Sustainable Development Goals in Jamaica

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. Kindly note that the data visualizations show an aggregate of the Caribbean. To view the disaggregated data per country, please click on the name of the country or territory you wish to explore.