By NAN Staff Writer
NEWS AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY, September 16, 2022: US Second Vice President for the Caribbean Kamala Harris met face-to-face with five CARICOM leaders Thursday at the White House and announced a series of steps the administration will take to help the region.
The meeting was in response to needs identified by Caribbean leaders to accelerate implementation of the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis, also known as PACC 2030, which Harris launched at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in June.
The United States, Harris said, is committed to the following areas, in particular.
1: To identify new clean energy projects
2: To provide technical assistance;
3: To bring investors to the Caribbean;
4: To improve access to development finance.
5: Food security
Vice President Harris said the United States has pledged $28 million to provide food security assistance to the Caribbean, and the US will promote good agricultural practices and do what “we can to improve those practices in the Caribbean.”
She also said the administration will contribute to addressing logistical barriers to transportation and removing non-tariff barriers to facilitate the movement of food in the region by incorporating climate-smart technology into the food protection system and food production system.
And the US will also provide training in areas such as pest management.
“In conclusion, I will say, as I have said before, the relationship between the United States and the Caribbean is based on shared ties and interests,” Harris said. “As neighbors in the Western Hemisphere, we believe it is critical that we have a relationship that is based on close cooperation, knowing that the result will be our shared prosperity and security, so we, the United States, are committed to increasing our engagement and engagement with our Caribbean partners.”
Caribbean leaders in attendance included Chan Santokhi of Suriname; Irfan Ali from Guyana; Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic; Dr. Mia Mottley from Barbados Keith Rowley from Trinidad and Tobago.
Santokhi is currently the chairman of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community. Before the meeting, he also met with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken. Blinken in the comments, praised “Santokhi’s leadership in the fight against corruption, in building transparency, in the very good security cooperation that our two countries have.”
And he added: “The relationship we have with our Caribbean partners is absolutely vital to us. It’s worth it. It’s critical, and I think that was highlighted at the Summit of the Americas with the historic meeting we had with CARICOM, with President Biden and Vice President Harris. But not just the meeting, the work that is flowing from that meeting to address the common concerns of so many of our people.”
