Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Rt. Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas, today participated in the Third Meeting of the CARICOM-Canada Foreign Ministers’ Group which was held on the margins of the 53rd Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS).
The meeting, which was co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Hon. Mélanie Joly, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica and Chair of COFCOR, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson-Smith, focused on priority areas of collaboration between CARICOM and Canada, including climate resilience, concessional financing, security, trade and food security.
In his remarks, Foreign Minister Douglas addressed the critical importance of using a multidimensional vulnerability index (MVI) which takes into account the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States SIDS), instead of the current utilization of GDP per capita as the main criterion for determining the degree or need for development assistance.
The Foreign Minister intimated, “As we once again address the topic of MVI, we need to be straightforward about the development needs of our countries as well as our internal capacities and constraints. We also have to be frank in acknowledging that the current global financial architecture and development assistance frameworks often stifle, instead of support, the sustainable growth and prosperity we wish for our people.”
In recognizing Canada’s leadership as an important global and strategic partner, Minister Douglas posited “Canada has a unique opportunity to advance consequential change that recognizes the vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS as it assumes the chairmanship of the Caribbean Development Bank and continues its representation of the Caribbean at the World Bank and IMF.”
CARICOM and Canada as hemispheric partners with robust historical and cultural ties remain committed to fostering their partnership through its 2021- 2023 Roadmap for Action and the upcoming launch of the CARICOM-Canada Strategic Partnership.
The Foreign Minister was accompanied by Her Excellency Sherry Tross, High Commissioner of Saint Kitts and Nevis to Canada and Ms. Shanelle Simmonds, Chargé d’affaires a.i. at the Embassy of Saint Kitts and Nevis in Washington D.C.