Basseterre, St. Kitts – (Ministry of Foreign Affairs): On Friday 21st April, 2023, The Right Honourable Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Investment held bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart His Excellency Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India on matters of mutual interest. The Ministers were in Georgetown, Guyana attending the fourth CARICOM- India Ministerial Meeting.
Among the important opportunities for collaboration discussed were, inter alia, clean energy transition, the Caribbean Development Bank, capacity building and skills training opportunities in ICT, Agriculture, health national security, and climate change.
The Right Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas conveyed greetings on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Government and people of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Minister Douglas expressed his profound appreciation for India’s role in ensuring the strong relations between Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of India and gave Saint Kitts and Nevis’ commitment to “join forces to make realities of our aspirations” as it relates to the India- Caribbean and global agenda.
Minister Jaishankar thanked Saint Kitts and Nevis for its support of the Republic of India and provided India’s outlook on agriculture, food security and foreign policy. Dr. Jaishankar expressed India’s shared concerns for climate change, and the resulting vulnerabilities for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), noting India’s commitment to continuing the advocacy for SIDS at the G20.
The Meeting concluded with The Rt. Honourable Dr Douglas and Dr. Jaishankar thanking each other for the time and thorough provoking dialogue, and the commitment to ensuring that the agendas of both countries discussed translates into practical and tangible outcomes.