Commonwealth Secretary-General to attend CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago

Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, will attend the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Port-of-Spain from 3 to 5 July 2023 as a particular visitor.

This yr marks 50 years because the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas in Trinidad and Tobago in 1973, which led to the institution of the Caribbean Community. The subsequent week’s assembly will formally launch CARICOM’s Fiftieth-anniversary celebrations.

Speaking forward of her go to, the Commonwealth Secretary-General recommended the achievements of the organisation, stating:

“CARICOM got here collectively 50 years in the past to improve the connections, well-being, prosperity and safety of Caribbean international locations and their residents. Those goals had been prescient then, and now, half a century later, they’re extra essential than ever.”

She added:

“The Commonwealth’s partnership with CARICOM spans over the previous 50 years, and right now, our co-operation on a wide selection of initiatives is extra complete than ever earlier than.”

In Trinidad and Tobago, the Secretary-General will interact with Caribbean leaders, looking for their views and collaborating on methods to present extra tailor-made and sensible help to the area.

She may also replace leaders on preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to happen in Samoa from 21 October 2024.

With 12 of the 15 CARICOM members additionally being half of the Commonwealth, the Secretary-General emphasised the significance of strengthening the collaboration between the 2 organisations.

She will spotlight the focused help being offered by the Secretariat to the area, notably by means of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub. As of June 2023, the hub has helped safe over US $52 million in local weather finance for Commonwealth member international locations in the Caribbean.

During the convention, Secretary-General Scotland will reaffirm the Commonwealth’s unwavering dedication to championing the issues and pursuits of small states on the worldwide stage, with a give attention to pressing local weather motion and advocating for a brand new world financing system that addresses the wants of the small and weak.

In explicit, she’s going to draw consideration to the numerous hole between the formidable local weather finance pledges and the restricted funding really being disbursed to assist growing international locations to sort out local weather change.

Secretary-General Scotland stated:

“We can’t stand by as small and weak states drown in rising seas and suffocate underneath crushing debt. Small states, least answerable for local weather change, undergo a double injustice – enduring the devastating aftermath of disasters and grappling with exorbitant borrowing prices for restoration.”

She additional highlighted the resilience of the Caribbean area, stating:

“For many years, when it has been confronted with the worst, Caribbean leaders have proven their finest. They have led the world on the problems of the day, and they’ve proven their true energy as a united voice for individuals who are in want.”

Acknowledging the current bulletins made on the Paris Climate Finance Summit as “essential steps in a for much longer journey”, the Secretary-General added that after advocacy from the Commonwealth and the Caribbean, spearheaded by the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Hon Mia Mottley, with the help of different regional leaders, the reforms to multilateral lending practices are actually being significantly thought of.

There is hope, she added, that these might be amended to mirror the realities of the local weather disaster and the disproportionate influence on weak states.

This CARICOM convention is convened underneath the chairmanship of the Hon Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica – the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s nation of start.

Following the CARICOM convention, the Secretary-General will embark on an official go to to The Bahamas to participate in the nation’s celebrations for the Fiftieth anniversary of independence.