The Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, met with Mr. Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Relations Officer at Global Citizen, during a high-level bilateral engagement on the margins of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain.
The meeting reinforced the strong and growing partnership between Antigua and Barbuda and Global Citizen, focusing on expanding collaboration across critical global development and advocacy priorities.
Discussions centered on several joint initiatives, including the potential hosting of a global event dedicated to world peace.
Both leaders recognized the urgent need for international platforms that foster unity, dialogue, and multilateral cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Prime Minister Browne also highlighted the SIDS Center of Excellence, an Antigua and Barbuda-led initiative, as a key area for partnership. He welcomed the opportunity to leverage Global Citizen’s extensive platform to enhance visibility, mobilize investment, and build capacity across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The bilateral dialogue included forward-looking conversations on youth empowerment and education. Prime Minister Browne and Mr. Sheldrick explored pathways for Antigua and Barbuda to benefit from the FIFA Education Fund, established by Global Citizen in collaboration with the FIFA World Cup, to advance equitable access to education and support youth development across vulnerable communities.
Prime Minister Browne reaffirmed his government’s commitment to sustained collaboration with Global Citizen and confirmed his continued advocacy role at the upcoming Global Citizen Festival in September. The Prime Minister also indicated that the possibility exist for him to potentially participate in Global Citizen’s strategic events in Singapore later this year.
On the pressing issue of climate finance, both parties agreed to intensify cooperation around innovative and scalable financing mechanisms. This includes a joint exploration of solidarity levies and other creative funding solutions to support climate-vulnerable nations.
Prime Minister Browne emphasized the critical importance of multilateral engagement, civic activism, and public-private partnerships in addressing the world’s most urgent challenges.
He reiterated Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to working closely with Global Citizen to drive measurable impact for both people and the planet.