Remarks by Dr. Carla N. Barnett, Secretary-Common of the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM) on the Event of the Opening Ceremony of the Forty-Sixth Common Assembly of the Convention of Heads of Authorities of the Caribbean Neighborhood Georgetown
“The issues earlier than us at this forty sixth Common Assembly may have important impression on the course of the Neighborhood. The Area’s resilience, adaptability and improvement shall be examined intimately, in addition to an account taken of the place we’re as a Area. It will permit us to pool our collective knowledge and devise sustainable options to the threats and challenges that we face.”
It’s a distinct pleasure to deal with you at this Opening Ceremony of the Forty-Sixth Common Assembly of the Convention of Heads of Authorities of the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM). I’m notably happy to welcome you to Georgetown, Guyana, the seat of the CARICOM Secretariat, the Headquarters of the Neighborhood, the place we’ve got loved the nice and cozy hospitality of the Authorities and Individuals of Guyana for over fifty years.
It’s becoming, as we proceed to have fun our landmark fiftieth Anniversary 12 months, and as we did in Trinidad and Tobago in July 2023, that we collect within the dwelling of one of many 4 signatories to the Unique Treaty of Chaguaramas, the framework and compass for our Regional Integration Motion.
On behalf of the Neighborhood, I specific heartfelt appreciation to our Host and Chairman of the Convention, His Excellency President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, for the gracious hospitality he has prolonged, and the superb preparations which have set the stage for a really productive three days of labor.
Your Excellency, I’ve little doubt that below your steering as Chairman of the Convention, and with the help of your colleague Heads of Authorities, the Secretariat and the Regional Establishments, the pursuits of our Area shall be accelerated.
Over the past six months of 2023, our Neighborhood was ably led by the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica. We thank him for his unwavering dedication to his function, which has introduced tangible outcomes for our Member States. On the similar time, we warmly welcome the Honourable Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, to the Bureau of the Convention, and look ahead to his strong involvement in advancing the pursuits of the Neighborhood.
Enable me to recognise the distinctive musical expertise of the Area whose extravaganza, “Sounds of the Caribbean”, brings such verve and color to our Opening Ceremony. Their mixed sound is additional illustration of what we obtain by way of efficient coordination and collaboration as a Area.
Excellencies,
Women and gents,
The issues earlier than us at this forty sixth Common Assembly may have important impression on the course of the Neighborhood. The Area’s resilience, adaptability and improvement shall be examined intimately, in addition to an account taken of the place we’re as a Area. It will permit us to pool our collective knowledge and devise sustainable options to the threats and challenges that we face.
Important technical and coverage work has led to accomplishments in varied areas, together with meals and diet safety, advancing elements of the CARICOM Single Market and Economic system (CSME), border safety, air and maritime transportation, amongst others.
We labored with stakeholders to assist discover options to the multi-dimensional disaster in Haiti. We’re dedicated to retaining the Area as a Zone of Peace, regardless of varied border controversies, and regardless of the passage of weapons and harmful medicine by way of our lands and seas.
As we proceed to deal with these and different points throughout this forty sixth Assembly, our devoted hours in plenary, caucus and retreat classes shall be targeted on shifting our integration motion determinedly ahead in one of the best pursuits of our Area and its residents.
Later this week, we shall be joined by our Particular Visitor, His Excellency Luiz Inacio da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Exchanges with him, in addition to with high-level friends from Canada, the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, and the United Nations, will permit us to proceed strong engagement with various worldwide companions on issues essential to the sustained improvement and transformation of our Area.
CARICOM speaks loudly and clearly within the worldwide group. Our decided advocacy has helped to spur optimistic change for essential hemispheric and world points. The choice at COP28 in December 2023 to operationalize the Loss and Injury Fund; and rising acknowledgement within the worldwide group that the Bridgetown Initiative presents a extra related monetary strategy to addressing the distinctive wants of our Area, are however two examples of the impression of CARICOM’s advocacy.
We additionally proudly notice Trinidad and Tobago’s Presidency of the 78th United Nations Common Meeting; Guyana’s election to the United Nations Safety Council and its present Presidency of that physique; and Saint Lucia’s election to the Presidency of the Government Board of the United Nations Instructional, Scientific and Cultural Group (UNESCO).
Congratulations too, to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which is finishing a profitable 12 months as Professional Tempore President of the Neighborhood of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the primary CARICOM nation to undertake this function. These are all impactful boards the place our Area has a voice in addressing complicated and multi-faceted world points.
Excellencies,
Women and gents,
Our previous and current generations of leaders have established a stable basis for us to construct on. Our greater than 50 years of existence demonstrates that the Caribbean Neighborhood stays a viable integration motion. We now have proven a eager appreciation of the developmental priorities which might be essential to the Area’s peace and prosperity. The stage is properly set for this new era to interact its innovativeness, ingenuity and dynamism to safe and enhance on the collective positive factors to date achieved.
Mr. Chairman, as you carry us ahead, because the standard-bearer for CARICOM for the following six months, there’s a heavy regional and world agenda which calls for our undivided consideration and energetic engagement, regardless of the ever-present vagaries of the worldwide panorama.
Allow us to, subsequently, harness the knowledge of our 50 years of existence, studying from what we’ve got accomplished properly and what we all know we are able to do higher, and transfer ahead with ardour and dedication to beat right this moment’s challenges.
Allow us to welcome energetic participation from our youth, our girls, civil society, labour organisations and the personal sector, our indigenous peoples, our creatives and our athletes. Allow us to guarantee we always work to carry all on board to maintain our integration motion rising and useful to the welfare of our folks.
We owe no much less to the folks of the Caribbean Neighborhood, at dwelling and within the Diaspora.
Thanks, girls and gents.
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