The highest diplomats of Jamaica and Canada convened for productive bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Girls International Ministers Assembly hosted by World Affairs Canada. The discussions concerned Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of International Affairs and International Commerce, and Mélanie Joly, Canada’s Minister of International Affairs.
The ministers emphasised the importance of Jamaica-Canada relations, exploring avenues to boost collaboration in commerce, funding, safety, immigration, worldwide scholar considerations, journey ease, and labor mobility. In addition they addressed urgent developments in Haiti.
In an effort to interact the Jamaican Diaspora, the bilateral talks included a ‘meet and greet’ roundtable with representatives from academia, the personal sector, faith-based organizations, and philanthropic teams in Toronto. This interplay aimed to deepen connections and share insights on points affecting the neighborhood.
Minister Johnson Smith additionally held discussions with Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Worldwide Cooperation. They targeted on Canada’s help for Jamaica and the Caribbean in post-Beryl restoration, in addition to initiatives associated to local weather resilience and funding. Potential collaborations in capability constructing and coaching have been additionally explored.
Expressing optimism after the conferences, Minister Johnson Smith highlighted the mutual pursuits of each nations. “Our focus is on creating tangible alternatives, notably by boosting commerce and funding and facilitating mobility for Jamaicans and Canadians,” she acknowledged. “The federal government is dedicated to constructing on profitable commerce missions which have fostered key sector agreements, comparable to in movie.”
Moreover, Minister Johnson Smith engaged with the broader Jamaican Diaspora neighborhood and members of the World Jamaica Diaspora Council throughout a city corridor assembly hosted by Jamaica’s Excessive Commissioner to Canada, Marsha Coore Lobban, and Consul-Basic Kurt Davis. She supplied updates on the tenth Jamaica Biennial Diaspora Convention and acknowledged the numerous contributions of the Diaspora to nation-building in each nations.
Invited to Canada as a co-chair of the two-day Girls International Ministers Assembly, Johnson Smith targeted on enhancing ladies’s roles in political management and governance and addressing the impacts of disinformation. After her engagements in Toronto, she departed for New York to hitch Prime Minister Andrew Holness on the 79th Session of the United Nations Basic Meeting.
