Antigua PM holds ‘successful negotiations’ with DR Prez

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda says Prime Minister Gaston Browne held bilateral discussions on Thursday, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly Debate, with the President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader in relation to “deepening the cooperation between both countries given their strong historical and economic ties.”

During the dialogue, which took place at the Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations in New York, Browne “laid out a clear plan of engagement that would be pursued on a two-tiered basis,” said the Antigua and Barbuda Government statement.

“For the first level, which deals with global issues, Prime Minister Browne presented an official invitation to President Abinader to attend the 4th UN Conference on Small Island States that will take place in May 2024,” it said.

Additionally, the statement said Browne encouraged the Dominican Republic to formally join the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS).

Formed in 2021, COSIS’s mandate is “to assist small states in defining and developing international law on the rules associated with climate change,” the statement said.

It said this allowed for COSIS to recently pursue a ground-breaking matter before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.

On bilateral matters, the statement said Abinader indicated to Browne that his government will “move swiftly with the allocation of funds regarding the construction of a school in Barbuda and will also support Antiguans and Barbudans to attend baseball training camps, given the increased interest in the sport on island.

“Prime Minster Browne thanked President Abinader for his generous offer and reiterated the government offer of lands to build an Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Antigua,” the statement said.

Browne also proposed increased airlink between both countries “that will facilitate trade and tourism between their two countries,” the statement said.

“President Abinader shared his enthusiasm about Prime Minister’s Browne proposal and, in return, committed his government to working on a new cooperation agreement with Antigua and Barbuda, whereby these areas of cooperation will be enhanced,” it said.

“Both Prime Minister Browne and President Abinader concluded the bilateral meeting by agreeing to increase the exchange of official state visits between their countries,” the statement added.