The Tribune

Minister of Urban Renewal and Community Relations Lisa Rahming highlighted collaborative leadership during The Bahamas' representation at the United Nations by inviting senior members of her delegation, including two women, to deliver the country's interventions on sustainable urban development.

The High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Midterm Review of the New Urban Agenda was held on July 16 and 17 to assess progress since the global framework was adopted in 2016 and identify priorities for accelerating its implementation through 2036.

Rather than delivering every intervention herself, Mrs Rahming called on Permanent Secretary Montez Williams, Urban Renewal Authority Managing Director Stephen Dean, Urban Renewal Advisor Sharon Martin and Deputy Director for the Family Islands Melony Rahming to address financing and governance, innovation, climate resilience and the development needs of remote island communities.

Mrs Martin focused on integrating resilience into national development before disasters occur, noting that the failure of a single road, dock or utility can isolate entire communities in The Bahamas and that hurricane damage has reached as much as 25 per cent of GDP from a single event.

She called for resilience to be embedded in housing, zoning, infrastructure and environmental management, while urging greater access to climate financing for vulnerable states.

Mrs Rahming underscored the unique realities facing Family Island communities, saying no island should be considered too remote and no community too small to benefit from sustainable development.

She proposed affordable subdivisions farther inland to reduce repeated hurricane damage, improve access to essential services and create safer, better-connected communities. She also highlighted generational land issues that prevent many Family Islanders from obtaining bank financing to build resilient homes.

Mr Williams called for funding mechanisms that allow local authorities to access resources more efficiently while maintaining transparency and accountability. He highlighted the establishment of the Urban Renewal Foundation to attract support from local and international private partners and pointed to the ministry's 30 Urban Renewal Centres across 11 islands, which provide safe spaces and opportunities for young people.

"Every dollar invested should improve the quality of life for the people we serve," Mr Williams said.

Mr Dean said future-ready cities are not defined by technology alone but by good governance, reliable data, strong partnerships and responsive public services.

"A future-ready city is not just a smart city; it is a city where citizens are heard, communities help shape solutions, and government remains accountable for results," he said.

Through the four presentations, The Bahamas delivered a coordinated message that sustainable urban development must be adequately financed, guided by reliable information, resilient to climate threats and inclusive of communities throughout the archipelago.

The meeting marked the halfway point of the New Urban Agenda, assessing progress since its adoption in 2016 and setting priorities for its final decade of implementation through 2036. The Bahamas used the international platform to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring sustainable development reaches every community and leaves no island behind.