Diplomatic relations between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Canada were strengthened on Thursday, 16 February, with an engagement between the Conference of Heads Government and Canada’s Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, in The Bahamas.
The two parties discussed the situation in Haiti, climate change and climate financing, trade, increased people-to-people contact, and regional security, among other issues.
In his address to CARICOM Heads, the Canadian Prime Minister announced a new funding initiative totaling $44.8 million to tackle the climate crisis in the Caribbean.
He said the fund will support projects within regional organisations like the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (5Cs), and the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund to improve marine and coastal ecosystem management, increase water security, and to help governments respond to the impacts of climate change.
Acknowledging the challenges CARICOM countries face with accessing concessional development financing, he applauded the Bridgetown Initiative led by Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados. The Initiative has “re-energised the conversation on International Financial Institutions’ reform to the overlapping health, climate, debt, and liquidity crisis affecting many CARICOM countries,” the Canadian Prime Minister stated.
On the trade side, he said Canada is seeking a renewal of a waiver from the World Trade Organisation for goods from the Region to enter Canada duty-free beyond 2023, through the CARIBCAN programme.
CARIBCAN was announced in Nassau during a CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in 1985 and Prime Minister Trudeau said it is “only fitting” that CARICOM-Canada Heads of Government renew their commitment to the trading agreement during their meeting Thursday.
CARICOM-Canada reciprocal trade reached $1.9 billion in 2021, while bilateral trade in services reached $3.9 billion, Prime Minister Trudeau told CARICOM Heads as he highlighted the strong trade ties between the two parties.
Heads of Government commended Prime Minister Trudeau for continuing the legacy of strong relations between CARICOM and Canada.
They advocated for his country’s support of concessional funding for climate change-related loss and damage, recovery from disasters, and development financing. Heads also emphasised the need for increased people-to-people contact between CARICOM and Canada through the restoration of visa-free travel.
In response to the latter, Prime Minister Trudeau said that Canada will announce new measures to simplify access to “trusted travellers” from CARICOM and other countries in the Region in the coming days.
SOURCE: Caribbean Community Secretariat
Get ready for constant blackouts ppl,you think wasco taking water is bad? Just wait til those climate ppl want y’all to run on wind turbines alone…The greedy politicians that run the islands will never say no to anything because they’re constantly hungry for money but these ppl are going to destroy our island paradise with their schemes…Money is never free.
That money will end up in the bank accounts of politicians and government officials and ministers of government
Hmmm, you are so right there is nothing such as free money .. In my opinion those in power will want to remain. In power or try hard to win elections to get their hands on that money…