Local News

FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER MEETS WITH DELEGATIONS AT CHOGM

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, November 25, 2009 – The Australian Government is proposing a pledge of $50 million Australian (US$46 million) to assist Grenada and other Caribbean Countries in several areas including climate change mitigation, agriculture, and small business development, among others.

This was among issues discussed between Grenada’s Foreign Affairs Minister and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith on Wednesday in Trinidad, in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Port-of-Spain.

The proposed assistance from Australia will be channelled through the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Fund which was set up to cushion any shocks faced by smaller and more vulnerable economies and sectors within CARICOM, with the establishment of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Minister David, who is accompanied by Grenada’s High Commissioner to London, H.E. Ruth Rouse and Foreign Service Officer Roxie McLeish-Hutchinson, also urged Australia to support a legally binding outcome at next month’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and the need for Caricom to be given a voice at the level of G-20.

He said that Australia is also proposing a Memorandum of Understanding between Caricom and Australia to cover cooperation in several areas.

Minister David also met with Singapore’s Foreign Minister George Yoong Boon Yeo and Finnish Under-Secretary of State Pekka Huhtaniemi.

He discussed areas of support such as Information Technology, Tourism and Port Development with Singapore. An invitation was also extended to the Grenadian Foreign Minister to visit Singapore in January to discuss further areas of cooperation.

Assistance for the airport in Carriacou and alternative energy were discussed with the Finnish delegation.

Minister David is also expected to meet with delegations from Canada, Brunei, South Africa, India and Britain during the course of the CHOGM with a view to discussing ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation between Grenada and other Commonwealth nations.

CHOGM is the last major gathering of international leaders and Foreign Ministers before the climate change conference in Copenhagen. With leaders of 53 nations, representing two billion people, the meeting will be an important opportunity to build support for a successful outcome on climate change.
 

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