BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 20TH 2014 (CUOPM) – Japan’s Prime Minister His Excellency Shinzo Abe looks forward to meeting his St. Kitts and Nevis counterpart, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in Trinidad and Tobago this week.
The personal invitation of the Japanese Head of Government was delivered to Prime Minister Douglas by Japan’s Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis His Excellency Yoshimasa Tezuka when he paid a courtesy call on the St. Kitts and Nevis leader. Prime Minister Douglas will be accompanied by the Federation’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Patrice Nisbett.
Ambassador Tezuka provided details of the first-ever Japanese-CARICOM Summit which includes a dinner hosted by the Japanese Leader on July 27th, the Summit on the 28th, which ends with a joint CARICOM-Japan press conference and bi-lateral meetings with each Caribbean President and Prime Minister.
According to a CARICOM statement, The Summit’s agenda includes discussion on the vulnerabilities of CARICOM and the necessary cooperation for its sustainable growth; strengthening exchanges and the bonds of friendship and deepening cooperation in the international arena.
“At a time when regions across the world are engaged in discussions on the priorities for the post 2015- development goals and the upcoming Third United Nations Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), this September, in Samoa, the Summit provides a timely opportunity to advance CARICOM’s priorities in these areas and for fostering solidarity between CARICOM and Japan,” said the statement.
It noted that the Japan-CARICOM Summit comes on the heels of the 35th meeting of Heads of Government which approved the Community’s Strategic Plan for the next five years (2015-2019) which includes deepening foreign policy co-ordination among its priorities.
The Official Opening of the Summit will be addressed by CARICOM Secretary-General, his Excellency Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Prime Minister of Trinidad of Tobago and host, Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar; Chair of CARICOM, the Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Prime Minister Abe.