Caribbean region gets UK support in areas of climate change, security
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- Published on Tuesday, 24 January 2012 10:35
- Written by Super User
The Caribbean’s capacity to respond to climate change will be strengthened with an injection of £ 4.9M from the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) Department for International Development (DFID). According to a CARICOM release, Minister of State, DFID, Alan Duncan signalled his organisation’s commitment to give more support to the Caribbean in its fight to mitigate the effects of climate change primarily because the Caribbean gives value for money, as well as assist with job creation in the region. Duncan was at the time speaking at the closing press conference of the 7th UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum.
He applauded the Caribbean for the strong role they played in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations in Durban, South Africa, last December and for its strong voice on climate change in the international community. The £ 4.9M forms part of the £ 75 M development programme that the UK government will be supporting in the Caribbean, this year.
Meanwhile, Minister of State, Home Office, UK, James Brokenshire told journalists that his government would work with the Caribbean in devising an effective response to crime and violence. Security was among the issues which were given comprehensive treatment at the UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum. The Foreign Ministers agreed to establish a coordination mechanism (UK-Caribbean Expertise Exchange Mechanism) to promote security best practices in both Regions.
To this end, an agreement was reached to collaborate with the United States (US) in building capacity in land-based interdiction and law-enforcement units to counter drug trafficking and organized crime. There was also an agreement to work towards the establishment of national prosecution services to enhance the contribution of the justice to law enforcement, according to the release. Brokenshire added that the UK remained committed to developing tangible actions to fight crime and violence and is prepared to do so within the framework of what already existed in the Caribbean.
In this regard, the UK Government will collaborate with the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) in supporting the Caribbean in boosting its capacity to keep its people safe and secure.
