PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Two senior United States government officials on Thursday ended a three-day visit here to advance diplomatic engagement on the US-Caribbean Partnership to address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC2030).
Vice President Harris’ Special Advisor for the Western Hemisphere Joseph Salazar, WHA Deputy Director Caribbean Affairs Michael Taylor, U.S. Embassy Economic Chief Valerie Laboy, and chair of the Decarbonization Task Force Dr. Dale Ramlakhan.US Vice President Kamala Harris’ Special Advisor for the Western Hemisphere Joseph Salazar and Deputy Director for the Western Hemisphere Affairs Office of Caribbean Affairs Michael Taylor were in the twin-island republic to discuss the US government’s flagship partnership with the Caribbean to advance climate adaptation and resilience and clean energy cooperation through 2030 as the US works towards meeting the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Vice President Harris launched the partnership during the Summit of the Americas in June 2022.
US Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Candace Bond said the visit and discussions “were very fruitful and underscored the commitment of the United States to working with Trinidad and Tobago as a regional leader in energy security and to advance shared carbon emissions reduction goals”.
During their visit, Salazar and Taylor met with Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young, Minister of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles, and specialists from the respective ministries.
They also met with stakeholders in the energy and private sector, including representatives from the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, Proman Trinidad and Tobago, BPTT, Shell, Atlantic LNG, AMCHAM T&T, the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago, and international partners including the European Union, the UK High Commission, the InterAmerican Development Bank, CAF, the Atlantic Council, and the United Nations Development Program.
Salazar and Taylor also heard from Decarbonization Task Force Chairman Dr. Dale Ramlakhan about his experience visiting three US cities for the Climate and Energy Innovation in the Caribbean International Visitor Leadership Program along with Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries’ Renewables Division Senior Sustainable Energy Development Analyst Hannibal Anyika.
