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Lee Yan LaSur

September 26, 2022

She was called the world’s most powerful girl by the US Secretary of State John Kerry at their meeting in Washington DC in January 2017 at the age of 14, for her ability to propose simplified solutions to world leaders in their quest to tackle growing socio-development challenges in their countries.

Focusing on girl’s education advocacy, global peace and now the climate challenge currently perturbing our planet today, Zuriel Oduwole has sat down with over 30 world leaders [Presidents and Prime Ministers], from Malta to Kenya, Ghana to Croatia, Tanzania, Fiji, Malawi, Samoa, Jamaica, Bahamas, Guyana, Egypt and many more, offering her unique insight in areas valuable to our world’s gender equity, peace and sustainable development.

 Against this backdrop, a few days after the independence celebrations and a day after addressing the UNGA 77th assembly, Prime Minister Terrance Drew met today with Zuriel Oduwole in New York, to hear first-hand her ideas on the areas of gender development and the climate issue.

Open to building partnerships that can make a measurable difference in St Kitts and Nevis, Prime Minister Drew first congratulated Zuriel on her award received earlier in September, presented to her by the 8th Secretary General of the UN – Ban Ki-Moon, for her development work over the last 10 years.

Prime Minister Drew reiterated to Zuriel his concerns about the little attention being paid to smaller Island nations, when it comes to the climate challenge, especially since smaller nations contribute a very small percentage of the green-house gases, compared to larger economies – who also seen to have louder voices and longer reaches, in receiving climate mitigation support and assistance.

Zuriel, who also has the ears of some G7 leaders, hopes to visit St Kitts and Nevis in the near future, to see, learn and experience the challenges, before proffering her solutions, especially with COP27 less than 2 months away.