BRIDGETOWN, Barbados –CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett says it is important that the Caribbean have opportunities to access the European Sustainable Fund, within which regional platforms, including a Caribbean platform, are to be established.
CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett (second from left) pose with regional leaders and EU officials at the launch on Tuesday night (CMC Photo)Addressing the launch of the Caribbean-EU Partnership 2021-2027 here on Tuesday night, Barnett said that enhancing and nurturing democratic governance in the Caribbean cannot be understated.
“It is therefore most welcomed that it will be possible for the region to access thematic programs in areas such as, human rights and democracy, civil society organizations, peace, stability and conflict prevention and global challenges, whether through negotiated access or in a competitive environment.
“We look forward to being able to access those resources,” she told the ceremony that was attended by host Prime Minister Mia Mottley as well as the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, .
“The EU remains a valuable development partner of the Caribbean, for which I express my appreciation on behalf of the region,” Barnett said, acknowledging that there is a lot of work to be done to develop these areas of cooperation.
She said that the Caribbean member states and the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) Secretariat look forward to working together with the EU in the spirit of partnership to develop and implement actions that contribute to the sustainable development of our nations and our peoples.
Barnett said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had this week warned that the “worst is yet to come” as a third of global economies will face recessions next year.
“This warning should not shock us since the world is facing multiple crises simultaneously. In this regard, developing countries are facing the worst crises. We are gripped by the fallout from the pandemic, continuously impacted by disasters and burdened by debt – some of which are caused by the disasters, climate change impacts and food an energy insecurity, the development path of the Caribbean is unsteady at best.”
The CARICOM Secretary General said that small, vulnerable economies cannot survive alone and that partnerships remain a core component of its development needs.
She said this latest iteration of the development cooperation relationship between the Caribbean and the European Union that is being launched is a partnership with a focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The proposal to center work on the SDGs that relate to human development and education, including poverty eradication, zero hunger, health, education, access to energy, and reducing inequalities is important, if we are to not only survive, but to thrive.
“Furthermore, the emphasis on the international development agenda, in particular on climate change, biodiversity and financing for development, are at the core of Caribbean calls for meaningful sustainable development. In an increasingly fractured multilateral environment, the principles underlying our work are even more critical,” she told the event.
Earlier, the chair of the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM), E.P Chet Greene, said the partnership between the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union (EU) remains very important to both sides, certainly to CARIFORUM.
“The EU has been and remains a reliable Caribbean development partner whose support is important in the region’s efforts towards its sustainable and inclusive growth and development,” said Greene.
