Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders and Saudi Arabia recently concluded a “historic” summit, marking a milestone in diplomatic ties. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, CARICOM chairman, highlighted the summit’s success, emphasizing the significance of collaborative efforts amid global challenges.
“It has been a relationship which CARICOM has been trying to engender for some time now… It is a historic summit between CARICOM and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” stated Skerrit. The summit, co-chaired by Skerrit and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, fostered discussions between public and private sectors, exploring investment opportunities and cooperation.
Skerrit acknowledged the historical context, noting the challenges in engaging Saudi Arabia due to various global events. The summit addressed crucial issues, including climate change and resilient financing. An invitation was extended to the Crown Prince to invest in the Caribbean, particularly in renewable energy and infrastructure.
“The summit has been highly successful. These are the kinds of summits the world should have, where we can sit around the table in an informal but serious manner on how we can work together,” affirmed Skerrit, emphasizing the informal yet productive nature of the discussions.
Skerrit disclosed plans for a possible summit between CARICOM and the Gulf States, leveraging the substantial funding resources available. The areas of focus include agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, and infrastructure development. The goal is to establish a comprehensive framework for implementing agreed-upon initiatives and accessing available funding for mutual benefit.
“The idea is for us to follow up with a possible summit between CARICOM and the Gulf States and to look at the financing and how we can access those funding,” explained Skerrit, outlining the strategic approach to securing financial support for essential projects.
In this unprecedented diplomatic endeavor, the CARICOM-Saudi summit paves the way for strengthened partnerships, emphasizing shared goals and collaborative initiatives in the face of global complexities.
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