Last Updated on September 24, 2022, 4:37 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Minister of Foreign affairs and Former Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Denzil Douglas, is attending the 77th edition of the UN General Assembly along with his Prime Minister and a delegation of Ministers and Civil Servants. At the UNGA, Foreign Minister Dr Douglas attended The Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) Special Session.
The session was convened on 22nd September 2022. In the session, Dr Denzil Douglas deliberated with his CARICOM counterparts on the pressing issues connected to the UN agenda and with which the Caribbean Community is currently faced.
The robust agenda included a substantive topic of discussion on the Situation in Haiti, and the CARICOM Secretariat updated the Council on the efforts by CARICOM to serve as a facilitator among the stakeholders in Haiti. This discussion concluded with the CARICOM Foreign Ministers pledging their support to the Haitian-led approach to de-escalate the civil unrest in Haiti.
The Foreign Ministers attending the meeting also discussed priority issues for the Caribbean region, including the financing for development mechanisms, the United Nations Climate Change Conference—COP27. The Foreign further addressed the work of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), currently chaired by Antigua and Barbuda, including a progressive mandate to end plastic pollution.
Additionally, developing a Multi-dimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) received focused attention. The MVI is an approach being developed to address how the income status of small island developing states is measured and how development aid is allocated. Saint Kitts and Nevis, as a CARICOM Member State and a small island developing state, has vigorously and consistently advocated for this approach over the years. The Foreign Ministers were satisfied with the progress concerning the MVI over the last year.
The attendees also debated the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, other infectious diseases, and other aspects of the global health and foreign policy agenda. St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, Dr Terrance Drew, is the lead in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet on health matters.
Foreign Minister Dr Douglas was pleased with his first COFCOR Special Session, which allowed him to meet and engage with his Caribbean counterparts.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
