Ottawa, Canada – Grenada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development, Hon. Joseph Andall, led a delegation which participated in the first ever Canada-CARICOM Summit, hosted in Ottawa by Canada’s Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, from October 17-19, 2023.

Held under the theme “Strategic Partners for a Resilient Future,” the Canada-CARICOM Summit, which coincides with the Caribbean Community’s (CARCOM’s) celebration of its 50^th anniversary, was co-chaired by Prime Minister Trudeau and Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, who is currently Chair of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.

One of the overarching highlights of this Summit was the launch of a Strategic Partnership, establishing a new permanent mechanism for structured high-level engagement and follow through on joint actions. The leaders reaffirmed their unwavering friendship, built on strong people-to-people, historical and cultural ties, shared economic interests, and a commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Generally, deliberations at the Summit focused on the key priorities of climate change, access to finance, regional and global security, and trade and investment. 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Regarding climate change, leaders called for an intensified collaborative effort to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Recognizing recent efforts on mitigation, adaptation, and the protection of biodiversity, they expressed the importance of practical actions, such as assistance on carbon pricing and operationalising a fund to compensate for loss and damage from climate change in the lead up to COP28 and beyond.

The CARICOM leaders at the Summit welcomed Canada’s new support of $64.5 million in new climate financing, and $10 million for resilient agriculture systems. 

ACCESS TO FINANCE

Addressing the issue of access to finance, the leaders acknowledged the particular vulnerabilities of CARICOM countries to external shocks and offered perspectives on how to overcome systemic challenges in order to access finance. Focus was placed on reforming the international financial architecture, including the proposals of the Bridgetown Initiative.

Leaders agreed to work together in advancing solutions, such as new criteria to access finance at the Caribbean Development Bank, the widespread adoption of climate resilience debt clauses, and jointly advocating for common interests through Canada and CARICOM members’ shared constituency at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

REGIONAL SECURITY

Regarding regional security, the leaders focused mainly on the crisis in Haiti. They welcomed the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2699 (2023) adopted on October 2^nd, 2023, and emphasized the importance of establishing a strong transitional government of unity to give legitimacy to the multinational security support mission (MSS).

The leaders fully supported the central role of CARICOM and its Eminent Persons Group (EPG) in advancing political dialogue to establish a stable and representative arrangement that can effectively govern towards free and fair elections, and work with the international community to set the parameters for the MSS.

Canada’s coordinating role in building the Haitian National Police (HNP) capacity, including additional training support of the HNP, was also welcomed by the regional leaders. 

The leaders also engaged on key security challenges in the region, including illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs, and surging violent crime. With regard to these areas of concern, Canada committed $6.6 million to tackle illegal arms trafficking in Haiti and the wider Caribbean, as well as $4.6 million to address gender-based violence and women’s rights in the Eastern Caribbean. 

GLOBAL PEACE & SECURITY

Leaders also addressed the importance of Canada’s and CARICOM’s common commitment to enhance peace and security in both the western hemisphere and the wider world, including the situations in Venezuela and in the Middle East. A Joint Statement on Global and Regional Issues was released separately by leaders.

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

The Canadian leader and his CARICOM counterparts also deliberated on growth opportunities in the region to deepen commercial ties between Canada and CARICOM nations. Significantly, CARICOM leaders welcomed Canada’s expansion of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries Tariff program (CCCT), which gives countries in the region duty-free trade access to the Canadian market, to include textiles and apparel, as well as a new foreign labour program for agriculture and fish processing under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Shared priority sectors outlined for trade and investment included agriculture, renewable energy and infrastructure.

Leaders also offered insights on addressing ongoing supply chain issues; increasing the movement of people, goods, and investments; facilitating educational exchanges; and critical development needs. The importance of engaging Caribbean diaspora communities in Canada to build strong and sustainable economies, was also elaborated upon. 

PARTICIPANTS

The following leaders participated in the Summit: Canada’s Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau; Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner, His Excellency Ronald Sanders; Bahamas’ Prime Minister, Hon. Philip Davis; Barbados’ Prime Minister, Hon. Mia Mottley; Belize’s Prime Minister, Hon. Johnny Briceño; Dominica’s Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, who co-chaired the first day of proceedings; as well as Grenada’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development Minister, Hon. Joseph Andall, who explained that Prime Minister Hon. Dickon Mitchell would also have been present, but for conflicting domestic national obligations.

Also in attendance were Guyana’s President, Hon. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who co-chaired the latter part of the proceedings, deputizing for PM Skerrit, who had to make an early departure, necessitated by the threats of a late hurricane season weather system that was headed in the direction of Dominica; Haiti’s Prime Minister, Hon. Ariel Henry; Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Hon. Andrew Holness; Saint Kitts and Nevis’s Prime Minister, Hon. Terrance Drew; Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Hon. Philip Pierre; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister, Hon. Ralph Gonsalves; Suriname’s President, Hon. Chandrikapersad Santokhi; Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Keith Rowley; and CARICOM’s Secretary General, Carla Natalie Barnett.

Grenada’s delegation at the Summit included Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Roxie McLeish-Hutchinson and Consul General in Toronto, His Excellency Gerry Hopkin.

Grenada’s Delegation at Canada-CARICOM Summit Successfully Met With Four Government of Canada Ministers to Advance Diplomatic & Developmental Interests

Ottawa, Canada – Honourable Joseph Andall, Grenada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development, successfully arranged and held meetings with the following key ministers of the Government of Canada, in order to advance certain diplomatic, trade and developmental initiatives that are beneficial to the Grenadian people and Government. These initiatives all fall under the transformative agenda of the Dickon Mitchell-led administration.

Specifically, Minister Andall, Permanent Secretary Roxie McLeish-Hutchinson and Consul General Gerry Hopkin held a significant meeting with high-level officials of Canada’s Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. The officials met with included the Minister himself, Hon. Marc Miller; the Deputy Minister, Hon. Scott Harris; and the Director of Operations in the said ministry, Bryan Rourke.

In particular, this meeting addressed Grenada’s interest in having the reinstatement of visa-free access status for our nationals, and in having on-island processing of the visa applications of Grenadians, inclusive of year-round or more frequent on-island collection of biometrics from Grenadian visa applicants while there is still a visa requirement for Grenadians that are interested in traveling to Canada for business, family, education or leisure purposes. The latter accommodation would alleviate or reduce the burden of difficult-to-get-obtain and costly air-travel and housing in other islands where Canada’s visa processing services are available. 

Discussions in this meeting were frank and hopeful, with both sides agreeing to have follow-up technical meetings to advance a way forward.

Grenada’s delegation also arranged and successfully held similar pull-aside meetings with the following three (3) Government of Canada ministers:

1) Hon. Melanie Joly, Canada’s Minister of Global Affairs;

2) Hon. Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development; and

3)  Hon. Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development.

Both sides in each of the meetings between Grenada’s delegation and the above three high-level Government of Canada officials, agreed to engage their technical teams in continued discussions toward advancing the proposals made by Grenada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development, Hon. Joseph Andall. Among other things, Minister Andall’s proposals seek increased enabling developmental assistance that would positively impact Grenada’s growth in productive economic activities and international trade with more exports to Canada and elsewhere.