Japan’s Foreign Minister – Katsuya Okada
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
September 06, 2010 (CUOPM)
St. Kitts and Nevis and other Caribbean nations are to get assistance from Japan in recovering from the global economic crisis and deepen cooperation on global issues, including nuclear disarmament and the reform of the U.N. Security Council.
During the Japan-CARICOM Summit in Tokyo, Japan’s Foreign Minister His Excellency Katsuya Okada urged Caribbean nations to endorse the Copenhagen Accord, which resulted from a key U.N. climate conference last December, and aim for the adoption of a comprehensive agreement to tackle the problem.
St. Kitts and Nevis’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Sam Condor missed the meeting as a result of the approach of Hurricane Earl.
Caribbean nations said they have already been suffering from the adverse effects of climate change, such as a rise in temperature and more frequent hurricanes, and called for financial aid to deal with natural disasters, she said.
In a document released after the ministerial meeting, participants confirmed their intention to work toward an agreed outcome at the next U.N. climate conference in Mexico in November and December to adopt a new, ambitious and comprehensive legal document to establish a fair and effective international framework to address climate change.
On assistance for Haiti, Japan and CARICOM member states confirmed their commitment to the medium- and long-term reconstruction of the country, according to the document. At the meeting, Haiti called for private-sector participation in the reconstruction efforts, the official said.
The Caribbean countries asked for Japan’s assistance to recover from the financial crisis, saying their economies have been slumping with declines in revenues from tourism, their major industry, and in remittances from expatriates.