BRASILIA, Brazil - Antigua and Barbuda Friday said it is looking forward to boosting trade, improving transport connectivity, and reinforcing regional supply chains and trade corridors with Brazil, saying these are all essential steps toward achieving food security and building lasting resilience across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne, flanked by members of his delegation, Ambassador to CARICOM, Dr. Clarence, Henry and foreign service officers, Kurt Williams and Zeina Hechme, addressing the Brazil-CARICOM summitAddressing the one-day Brazil-CARICOM summit here, Prime Minister Gaston Browne the event offers an opportunity to “reshape, reimagine and strengthen the Brazil-Caribbean partnership”.
He said in previous years, under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’ leadership, Brazil pursued a policy of active diplomacy and meaningful outreach, which strengthened solidarity and fostered a sense of unity with the Caribbean.
“We are facing a highly unpredictable global scenario, marked by major shifts and evolving threats. We continue to confront pressing challenges on multiple fronts, from the escalating cost of living crisis and ongoing trade and tariff wars, to the rapid advancements in technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the lightning-fast spread of disinformation”
Browne said all of this is unfolding against a background of geopolitical fragmentation and conflict in different regions of the world.
He said that there is a need to accelerate momentum towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty and hunger, and close the digital divide.
“We’re witnessing firsthand just how devastating climate change and its catastrophic impacts can be, especially for our coastal communities and the most vulnerable countries. There is a lot at stake, and we must act together,” Browne said, adding “and that is why today’s Summit is so timely”.
He said collective action and strong partnerships are more crucial than eve and that “in today’s complex and rapidly changing global environment, Latin America and the Caribbean must stand together, we have no choice if we want to be resilient. Our futures are deeply intertwined.
“I believe we are a blessed region. We are rich in resources, culture, and home to dynamic, vibrant peoples. Together, we have the power to build a more resilient, secure, and sustainable future.”
Prime Minister Browne said that his country deeply values Brazil’s leadership in championing greater South-South cooperation and it was looking forward to strengthening people-to-people ties with Brazil.
“We also look forward to boosting trade, improving transport connectivity, and reinforcing regional supply chains and trade corridors, which are all essential steps toward achieving food security and building lasting resilience across Latin America and the Caribbean,” Browne said, adding that in “In Antigua and Barbuda, we are taking decisive steps to bolster domestic food production, and promote climate-resilient farming and sustainable fisheries”.
He said one of the key lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic is the urgent need to advance regional food sovereignty, by building robust, interconnected systems that can better withstand future shocks.
Browne said Antigua and Barbuda supports diversifying food sources beyond the North by strengthening trade with key Global South and regional partners, such as Brazil.
“I wish to take this opportunity to commend President Lula for his leadership in spearheading the establishment of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty – an initiative of which Antigua and Barbuda is proud to be a member.
“This vital effort strengthens our collective commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) 1 ending poverty and eliminating hunger and 2 promoting sustainable agriculture by mobilizing resources for policies and programs that support our most vulnerable populations.
He said Antigua and Barbuda looks forward to Brazil’s hosting of the 30th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 30) to be held here in November.
“Brazil and Caribbean countries are staunch advocates for climate action and with good reason, we are both facing serious and immediate threats from climate change.
“With two-thirds of the Amazon Rainforest within its borders, Brazil plays a vital role in the global fight against climate change. In addition, as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Caribbean nations are on the frontlines of this crisis, confronting rising risks to our ecosystems, economies, and communities.”
Browne said that as some of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Caribbean SIDS look to the Brazilian Presidency at COP30 with hope, optimism and urgency for tangible outcomes.
“Climate change is not just a challenge for us – it is an existential threat, and we are disproportionately affected by it. All of us sitting here in this room are acutely aware of this. As SIDS, we continue to face significant barriers to accessing concessional financing, despite our acute vulnerabilities. “
Prime Minister Browne said that he hopes the Brazilian COP presidency will prioritize the full and effective operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, with mechanisms that enable rapid, direct access for those most affected.
“We also look forward to progress on climate finance reform, meaningful debt relief, and establishing debt-for-climate swaps to unlock the resources our countries desperately need to adapt to a rapidly changing climate, Browne said, adding that “Brazil has played a pivotal role in elevating the voice and priorities of the Global South on the international stage, especially during its G20 Presidency last year.
“We welcome Brazil’s advocacy for the reform of international financial institutions and hope it will champion the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI). This tool is essential for ensuring that access to finance reflects the real and complex risks SIDS face.
“With Brazil’s leadership, I believe we can advance a fairer, more responsive global financial architecture that leaves no vulnerable nation behind,” Prime Minister Browne said, adding “we underscore the critical need for financing and technical support to enable a just, sustainable, inclusive, and equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources”.
