ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Antigua and Barbuda Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P. Chet Greene, is urging Ireland to remain a champion of the interests of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as it prepares to assume the Presidency of the European Union (EU).
Greene told an exhibition titled “Entangled Islands” celebrating Irish/Caribbean shared history at Government House that Ireland will assume the EU Presidency in a little more than two months, at a time of rising geopolitical uncertainty.
“It is very easy for our interests for access to financing, advocacy to protect our key sectors, to include the Citizenship by Investment Program (CBI), the operationalization of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, to be overlooked against the backdrop of a dynamic global landscape,” he told the event here on Tuesday night.
“Indeed, the Irish SIDS Partnership Strategy commits Ireland to using its place in the EU to ensure the EU’s institutions, policies, and support are delivering for SIDS,” the foreign minister said, placing on record Antigua and Barbuda’s best wishes to the European country during its tenure.
Greene said that the Ireland and Latin American and Caribbean Trade summit, last held in 2023, provides an opportunity for Ireland not only to hold a follow-up meeting, but to
mount a trade mission to the Caribbean.
“As we look to the future, I know that our ambassadors will continue to advance these relations. I hereby extend an invitation for an Irish trade mission to visit Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean as we advance opportunities for collaboration and for the Prime Minister Taoiseach to visit us in St. John’s,” Green said.
In his address, Concannon spoke of the historical links between his country and the Caribbean, adding that Ireland is committed to strengthening those relations in the future.
The exhibition, held at the new Government House Museum, established as part of the rehabilitation of the historic building and grounds, was also attended by the Governor General.
Sir Rodney Williams, the Ambassador of Ireland to Antigua and Barbuda, John Concannon, as well as other members of the diplomatic corps here.
In his remarks, Sir Rodney noted that the history of Ireland and the Caribbean is a story of migration and settlement, of colonialization and resistance, of resilience, struggle, and transformation.
“It is also a story of ideas; how Ireland’s own journey toward Independence resonated deep within the Caribbean, helping to shape political thought and aspirations for self-determination across our region,” he said.
Sir Rodney said that what makes the exhibition particularly compelling is that it brings these connections to life through the stories of individuals. These figures crossed the Atlantic and left their mark on both societies.
Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner Karen-Mae Hill, described as a ‘driving force’ behind the staging of the exhibition, said that the more she read about Irish history in the Caribbean, especially Antigua and Barbuda, the more she felt this is an area that needs to be explored and understood more deeply by everyone.
“Antigua and Barbuda commends the Irish government for embarking on this deliberate journey to build closer ties with small island developing states. This exhibition… will be part of this conservation and journey of understanding, healing, and building relationships.”
The diplomat commended the Irish SIDS strategy, which, she noted, includes exploring shared history as a model for engaging small states.
“Understanding our shared history provides a solid foundation on which present and future relations can be built,” she said, noting that many Irish names are still quite common in Antigua and Barbuda and that many former sugar estates still bear their Irish names.
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