2025 Annual Results Report of the UN in Trinidad and Tobago

In 2025, the United Nations worked with Trinidad and Tobago during a year shaped by political transition, fiscal constraints and the need to build resilience in the face of climate and global economic pressures. 

A major milestone was the Government’s formal signing of the UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022–2026, which reaffirmed a shared commitment to coordinated action on sustainable development. Across the year, 23 UN entities worked to support national priorities, with most assistance focused on technical cooperation, training, policy advice, and institutional strengthening.

A major area of UN support in 2025 was economic resilience, digital transformation, and diversification. The UN helped expand renewable energy access through additional solar photovoltaic installations, supported digital identity and interoperability systems, advanced public sector digital payments, and contributed to the launch of the National E-Commerce Strategy. Support also strengthened digital literacy, ICT regulation, customs modernization, and animal health preparedness, while helping survivors of trafficking improve their psychosocial well-being and livelihood prospects. Taken together, this work aimed to make the economy more competitive, inclusive, resilient, and better prepared for future shocks.

The UN also worked extensively to help ensure that no one is left behind by strengthening social protection, health, education, and protection services. In 2025, UN support contributed to Cabinet approval of the Multidimensional Child Poverty Report and the Minimum Expenditure Basket, helping to ground social policy in stronger evidence. The UN also supported studies on skills needs in emerging sectors, evaluation of the national mental health policy, improved neonatal infection prevention guidance, work on access to essential medicines, and action to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination. 

Refugees, asylum-seekers, migrants, women, children, and other vulnerable groups also benefited from direct support, referrals, food assistance, and stronger nationally anchored protection pathways.

Environmental sustainability and climate resilience remained another central pillar of UN cooperation. Through community-led initiatives and sectoral partnerships, the UN supported more climate-resilient livelihoods, stronger natural resource management, and better preparedness for climate and disaster risks. This included support for 15 community-led projects, training for farmers and fisherfolk, work to reduce post-harvest loss, stronger climate-resilient agricultural finance, and improved safety communications at sea. These efforts reflected a practical focus on linking environmental action with livelihoods, food security, inclusion, and local resilience, especially for rural and coastal communities.

In the area of peace, safety, justice, and rule of law, the UN supported national and regional efforts to strengthen security institutions while promoting prevention, inclusion, and human rights. The UN produced the country's first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and delivered support to combat illicit firearms trafficking, improve justice-sector operations, raise online safety awareness, and build capacity for practitioners across security and legal institutions. More broadly, the UN’s work reflected the report’s emphasis on tackling root causes of insecurity through prevention-focused, rights-based, and whole-of-society approaches. Trinidad and Tobago also played an important regional role by hosting major convenings on the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, the SIDS agenda, the CDCC, and the Annual Coordination Meeting of the regional Cooperation Framework.

This work was made possible through broad partnerships across government ministries and public institutions, regional intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, academia, organizations of Persons With Disabilities, faith-based organizations, private sector actors, financial institutions, and development partners. 

Financing support came from UN entities, partner governments, global vertical funds, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, regional partner entities, and pooled UN funds, alongside bilateral support from partners such as the European Union, Canada, Japan, the United States, Germany, Korea, and New Zealand. Overall, the UN’s 2025 deliverables strengthened Trinidad and Tobago's institutions, invested in people, deepened inclusion, and built a more resilient and sustainable future.