Browne, regional, UK officials meet virtually for UK-Caribbean Forum

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and this country’s Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne are among those taking part in high-level talks at the UK-Caribbean Forum scheduled for Thursday morning.  

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and representatives from across the Caribbean are also involved.  

Climate change, the covid19 response, security, trade, shared values and the contribution of Caribbean communities to British society are just some of the topics expected to be discussed.  

A press release from the British High Commission said the meeting will be chaired by the UK’s Minister of State for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Tariq Ahmad, who has said the UK “admires the tremendous efforts by Caribbean states to effectively manage the covid19 pandemic and protect the health of its citizens. The UK has helped fund regional efforts to secure critical medical equipment and supplies, boost livelihoods and to curb gender-based violence.  

 “Supporting vulnerable countries is one of the UK’s covid19 priorities. The Covax facility is the best way to ensure equitable access to vaccines.”  

The UK’s contribution to the region includes £21 million to replenish the Caribbean Development Bank’s Special Development Fund to provide urgent financing to the most affected countries in the region; a £330 million Caribbean Infrastructure Fund to provide grant finance to critical public infrastructure projects; the new UK-Cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement which presents opportunities for increased trade, post-Brexit;  increased support for climate change including international climate finance to £11.6 billion between 2021 and 2025,  and a new £500 million Blue Planet Fund to help small island developing states (SIDS) protect their marine resources from threats like climate change, marine pollution, biodiversity loss and overfishing.”  

Raab’s contribution will include topics such as UK’s commitment to the Caribbean in relation to its foreign policy and its support for the Covax initiative and intention to provide over a million doses of the covid19 vaccine to six Caribbean countries.  

Prince Charles is expected to address issues related to Caribbean co-operation to find solutions to the global emergencies of climate change and covid19.  

He has noted that as well showing the true nature of a global emergency and the urgency of action, the pandemic “has also allowed us to reflect on what we value most, showing us that it is indeed possible to find and scale up solutions when we agree on a higher, common purpose.    

“So, as we work to recover from unimaginable human and economic hardship, we have learned that human health, economic health and planetary health are fundamentally interconnected.  To build a productive and sustainable future, it is critical that we mainstream environmental and social sustainability into every aspect of our economy.     

“In a world that can often seem uncertain, it seems to me that we can find strength in the connections between us, drawing on the lessons of our shared history, and using our common values and shared interests to define the future we want to build together.”  

Climate change, another big topic, will be addressed, ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) which is scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from November 1- 12 under the presidency of the UK.

Its president Alok Sharma will address concerns such as Caribbean leadership on the issue of climate change and support to SIDS for improved access to finance for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.  

There will also be sessions addressing issues surrounding immigration, in particular, the contributions of the UK Windrush generation from the chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee, Pointe-a-Pierre-born Dame Floella Benjamin.