Caribbean RoundUp
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda recently opened its first ever embassy in China with Prime Minister Gaston Browne describing the country as the “most philanthropic country globally.”
Browne said that St John’s had plans to appoint a permanent ambassador soon and that the Caribbean island has strengthened its ties with China by opening the embassy.
Browne said the main purpose of his visit was to attract more investment to Antigua and Barbuda while enhancing trade connections with China and commended China’s significant role in the socio-economic development of Antigua and Barbuda.
Prime Minister Browne who is leading a delegation that includes Minister of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation and the Environment, Sir Molwyn Joseph, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade and Barbuda Affairs E P Chet Greene and the island’s ambassador to China Brian Stuart-Young, will sign 10 Memoranda of Understanding that include an agreement to address climate change under the framework of South-South Cooperation, an agreement to accelerate the formulation of the cooperation plan on the Belt and Road initiative, and an agreement on mutual visa exemption.
Prime Minister Browne will have his first official meeting with President Xi Jin- ping and members of his Cabinet “where discussions will centre around a community of shared future for mankind and the Global Development Initiative.”
Bahamas
The Bahamas government says that they have established diplomatic relations with Kenya, marking “significant milestone in our country’s international engagement.”
In a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, it said that the move underscores the administration’s “strategic commitment to expanding opportunities for Bahamians.”
It said Prime Minister Phillip Davis has returned from Uganda where he attended the Non-Aligned Movement Summit and the G77 + China summit. He also participated in a bilateral meeting with Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Davis also met with Kenyan President William Ruto, Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland.
“The world is changing quickly, and small countries like ours need to be strategic about recognising and creating new opportunities for our people” Prime Minister Davis said reiterating on his government’s commitment to promoting The Bahamas.
The statement added that establishing ties with Kenya “will open up new avenues for trade, educational opportunities, and cultural exchanges, benefiting both nations.”
Caribbean
A new initiative aimed at lessening the Caribbean region’s poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition has been launched in Guyana.
The United States Agency for Development (USAID), in partnership with Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC), previously launched the regional agricultural programme, Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity (CAPA) that will spark investments to increase efficiency and reliability in growing and accessing food so that farmers can better nourish families, communities, and regional countries.
The three-year US$5.3 million project will focus on providing support to farmers to increase the production of fruit and vegetables and build connections between consumers..
Additionally, the project will utilise an integrated value chain approach to support value addition and practical storage solutions to preserve shelf life.
Speaking at the launch held at the University of Guyana, US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot said that the CAPA programme is an important milestone in US-Caribbean relations in addressing food insecurity regionally.
She said Washington is supporting its partners in the region to address the unique and evolving climate, energy, food security, and capacity challenges facing Caribbean nations.
The US diplomat said that CAPA grew out of the Ninth Summit of the America and stands as a swift response from the United States. It is a major pillar of PACC2030, the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030.
Dominica
The World Bank is providing more than US$38 million to Dominica for developing and integrating clean, sustainable and low-cost energy on the Caribbean island.
It said through the multi-million dollar project, a new robust transmission network will be built to withstand natural hazards, strengthening Dominica’s electricity grid.
The Dominica Geothermal Risk Mitigation Project II is financed through a World Bank International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$38.5 million and a US$0.25 million grant from the Canada-World Bank Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility.
“Dominica is making significant strides in geothermal energy, with innovative investments to deliver clean, low-cost electricity to its citizens and thereafter, the Eastern Caribbean. With support from the World Bank and the government of Canada, we are building a resilient network for geothermal energy transmission,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, Dr. Vince Henderson.
“This network is critical for the commissioning of a 10MW geothermal power plant by Ormat Technologies Inc. Geothermal energy can transform the nation’s energy sector and the economy by reducing electricity costs, achieving 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and generating new streams of revenue from the sale of green energy,” he added.
The Washington-based financial institution said that the challenges faced by Dominica, as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), are multi-faceted, stemming from natural hazards, topographical constraints, and external economic shocks.
It said despite being an upper-middle-income country, Dominica has grappled with persistent economic challenges, exacerbated by hurricanes, such as Hurricane Maria which caused Dominicans to go without power for an extended period in 2017, and the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Guyana
Guyana has underscored the need for global solidarity and united action to address the interconnected socio-economic, environmental, and governance challenges that threaten the sustainable development of the Global South.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, addressing the Third South Summit of the Group of 77 and China, spoke of the urgency of a collaborative approach to surmount the formidable challenges faced by countries of the Global South.
“In addressing global challenges, we acknowledge that the world economic situation, geo-political tensions, and the peculiar environmental issues present formidable challenges for the countries of the Global South as we strive to safeguard the development interests of our nations and to ensure that no one is left be-hind,” Phillips told the summit, being held under the theme “Leaving No One Behind.”
He addressed the severe consequences the covid19 pandemic had on both developed and developing countries, noting it would take developing countries several years to recover the growth levels necessary to fulfill the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
He emphasized the need for support from developing and developed countries, adding, “Support for development efforts is paramount, and we must look both to ourselves and the developed world to move forward.”
Phillips called for unity and decisive action, emphasizing the need for common positions to tackle the developmental challenges faced by the Global South and stressed the importance of co-operation.
Haiti
The Archbishop of Haiti Max Leroy Mésidor says the nuns who were kidnapped recently along with two other people have been released. This was revealed in a statement from the archbishop.
Gunmen hijacked a bus in Port-au-Prince and drove off, taking all of the passengers hostage, including six nuns belonging to the order of the Sisters of Saint Anne.
“The archdiocese of Port-au-Prince thanks the Lord for the liberation of the six religious sisters and the others who were kidnapped on Jan. 19,” Mesidor said.
“This traumatizing event has, once more, tested our faith, but it remains unbreakable.”
This latest high-profile kidnapping prompted religious leaders to issue a scathing letter criticising the government for its inaction toward Haiti’s surge in gang-related violence.
The statement did not give any detail on who might be responsible.
“This marks a sigh of relief for the Haitian church,” it said.
Pope Francis previously called for the release of hostages and said he was praying for an end to the violence in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) member state, which the United Nations estimates has killed over 4,700 people in the past year.
— Compiled by Devika Ragoonanan
