Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, and the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica and Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) presided over the 2023 Canada-CARICOM Foreign Ministers' Group Meeting, which was held in Washington, D.C., on the margins of the 2023 Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly.
The ministers reaffirmed the enduring value of the deep and dynamic partnership between Canada and CARICOM and strengthened their commitment to sustainability, resilience, climate action, access to finance, regional security and shared values. They underscored the need for continued vigilance in mitigating the devastating impacts of climate change, pursuing concrete action to rebuild resilient and sustainable economies, cooperating on regional security and increasing collaboration in multilateral forums, including by defending the rules-based international order and promoting democracy and human rights.
Canada-CARICOM Road Map for Action
In reviewing concrete progress on the Canada-CARICOM Road Map for Action, the ministers noted results in key areas such as climate resilience, trade, inclusive governance and multilateral engagement. For example, as announced in February 2023 by Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, Canada is now implementing $44.8 million in new initiatives to support CARICOM in addressing the climate crisis; additionally, the Canada-CARICOM Expert Deployment Mechanism completed 48 capacity-building initiatives in 2022 alone.
Canada re-committed to joint advocacy for the needs of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in multilateral forums, including at the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the OAS. The ministers noted that they look forward to the report of the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) and welcomed future consultations on potential uses of the MVI.
The ministers also discussed further exploration of reforms of the global financial architecture, including the Bridgetown Initiative, and reforms to address the specific vulnerabilities of Caribbean SIDS. They welcomed the renewal of CARIBCAN and discussed additional ways to bolster trade and investment between Canada and the region, including for a clean and green transition.
The ministers underscored the need for collective and urgent action to combat climate change, including adequate climate financing for adaptation, mitigation and resilience, and looked ahead to operationalizing the new loss-and-damage funding arrangement and fund. The ministers also called for new joint and innovative approaches to tackle food insecurity and escalating regional security challenges. They highlighted the need to collectively address the challenge of migration in the region and the desire for improved mobility between CARICOM member states and Canada.
Haiti
The ministers acknowledged that the ongoing political and security crisis in Haiti is a humanitarian challenge and destabilizing influence in the region and that it must be addressed through coordinated international action and Haitian-led solutions. They reaffirmed the need for a national, inclusive political dialogue to reduce tensions in Haiti and that collective efforts toward such a dialogue must continue.
The ministers summarized the key priorities for Haiti, including strengthening the security sector, supporting inclusive political dialogue, imposing targeted sanctions and addressing humanitarian needs. They commended Canada's coordination role with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti and the Haitian National Police to facilitate international security assistance for Haiti. Canada welcomed CARICOM's concrete actions, including its efforts to support political dialogue, the recent appointment of an eminent persons group, the extension of the Community's good offices to the Government of Haiti and Haitian stakeholders-including the Kingston Talks hosted in Jamaica-and the offers to train Haitian police and service personnel. The ministers emphasized the need to maintain forward momentum and to not lose sight of the daily impacts of the crisis on all Haitians.
Permanent mechanism
The ministers agreed to continue working collaboratively toward the establishment of a permanent mechanism to deepen the strategic partnership between Canada and CARICOM, building on the Canada-CARICOM Road Map for Action and addressing the ongoing political and security crises in Haiti.
Participants
- The Bahamas: Chet Donovan Neymour, Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the OAS
- Barbados: Noel Anderson Lynch, Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the OAS
- Belize: Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration
- Canada: Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
- CARICOM: Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett, Secretary General
- Dominica: Judith-Anne Rolle, Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy to the United States of America, and Interim Representative to the OAS
- Grenada: Joseph Andall, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development
- Guyana: Samuel Hinds, Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the OAS
- Haiti: Dr. Jean Victor Généus, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship
- Jamaica: Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
- Saint Kitts and Nevis: Dr. Denzil Lewellyn Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Investment
- Saint Lucia: Alva Romanus Baptiste, Minister of External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Lou-Anne Gaylene Gilchrist, High Commissioner in Canada, Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the OAS
- Suriname: Albert Ramdin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation
- Trinidad and Tobago: Anthony Phillips-Spencer, Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the OAS
