GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has welcomed the opportunity to engage with the new government of Japan early in its tenure.
This sentiment was relayed by the Chair of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) and the Foreign Minister of Dominica, Dr. Vince Henderson, during a recent visit to Tokyo.
DHenderson was speaking at a welcome reception at the Iikura Guest House at the time, ahead of the Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial Conference last week.
Hosted by the new Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Takeshi Iwaya, the reception was attended by foreign ministers and other high-level officials from 14 CARICOM countries and distinguished guests from Japan and the CARICOM countries.
Henderson highlighted key milestones in CARICOM-Japan relations, including a 2014 Heads of Government Summit, seven Ministerial Meetings, and 19 technical cooperation engagements.
The COFCOR Chair stated that these efforts have fostered developments in various sectors, such as SMEs, trade fairs, agriculture, fisheries, IT, environmental conservation, disaster risk reduction, climate change, energy, culture, and tourism.
He also stressed the importance of supporting adaptive engagement frameworks, particularly the Japan-CARICOM Friendship and Cooperation Fund, as a vital mechanism for addressing regional challenges.
Meanwhile, despite their geographical distance, Iwaya highlighted the strong partnership between Japan and CARICOM countries.
He expressed optimism for productive discussions at the Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to ongoing cooperation with CARICOM in the international arena.
Challenges facing CARICOM countries will be addressed through Japan’s three-pillar policy, namely:
– Cooperate towards sustainable development, including overcoming vulnerabilities particular to small island developing states (SIDS).
– deepening and expanding bonds founded on exchanges and friendship, and.
– cooperation in addressing challenges confronting the international community.
The Minister underscored the importance of people-to-people connections in fostering friendship and cooperation, noting that Japan hopes to expand these exchanges over the next decade.
Ahead of the CARICOM-Japan Ministerial Conference, foreign ministers paid a courtesy call to Shigeru Ishiba, the new Prime Minister of Japan. The Prime Minister affirmed the Japan-CARICOM partnership and the importance of their cooperation in the international arena.
The Eighth CARICOM-Japan Ministerial Meeting culminated in the CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year 2024.
This year marks three decades of friendship between the Community and Japan and 60 years of diplomatic relations between CARICOM and Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively.
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