Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 10, 2013 (SKNIS): Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, will make an inaugural visit to St. Kitts and Nevis next week.
During the May 12-14 visit, he will meet with the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas and Government Ministers, as well as other public officials and political representatives.
In this visit, he will discuss a number of matters prominent, among which is the Commonwealth’s support to small states which share similar vulnerabilities such as remoteness, susceptibility to economic and climate-related external shocks, as well as high debt.
“The need to raise awareness of the financing and debt challenges facing small and vulnerable economies, and to secure support for solutions at the highest level, is a Commonwealth’s priority,” said the Secretary General. “I will be discussing how best the Commonwealth can assist St. Kitts and Nevis towards ensuring tangible development outcomes in areas of debt, aid and trade.”
The Secretary-General is also expected to brief local officials on plans for the upcoming Commonwealth heads of Government Meeting, slated for November 15-17, 2013, in Colombo, Sri Lanka.