CARICOM, Japan reaffirm longstanding partnership

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Japan reaffirmed the value of their longstanding partnership on Thursday, 9 September, when CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett welcomed the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, His Excellency Iwao Horii, to the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.
 
Their discussions covered the decades-long cooperation between CARICOM and Japan, including the country’s intention to strengthen collaboration in sustainable development.
 
They also discussed the multidimensional situation in Haiti, humanitarian challenges in Cuba and Venezuela, United Nations reform, and shared values for freedom, democracy, the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
 
In welcoming the State Minister’s visit, the Secretary-General said, “Japan is one of our most enduring and dependable cooperation partners,” highlighting the depth and continuity of relations between CARICOM and Japan.
 
She highlighted the tangible benefits CARICOM continues to derive from Japan’s support, including the construction of the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters through collaboration between the Governments of Japan and Guyana, as well as the renewable energy generation and building energy management systems that help power the Secretariat.
 
Recalling recent visits to Japan, the Secretary-General highlighted activities marking Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year 2024, which reinforced the importance both sides place on people-to-people contact as a cornerstone of the partnership.
 
Minister Horii reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to CARICOM, noting that his country’s support has spanned more than 600 projects and exceeded 1.34 billion yen. He also highlighted Japan’s support for bolstering peace and security, as well as efforts towards general elections in Haiti.
 
The Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs said his country is keen to work with partners such as CARICOM towards “concrete progress” in reforming the United Nations Security Council, which he described as “an urgent task.” He also expressed appreciation for CARICOM’s support for Japan’s candidatures in the UN system.