By Belize Live News Staff: The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has expressed its enthusiasm for building relations with Japan’s new government, marking the start of a renewed partnership. Dr. the Hon. Vince Henderson, Chair of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) and Dominica’s Foreign Minister, underscored this sentiment during a welcome reception at the Iikura Guest House ahead of the Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial Conference, held on December 14, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan.
Addressing foreign ministers and distinguished guests from 14 CARICOM countries and Japan, Dr. Henderson highlighted the rich history of CARICOM-Japan relations. He noted milestones such as the 2014 Heads of Government Summit, seven Ministerial Meetings, and 19 technical cooperation initiatives that have driven progress in sectors including agriculture, fisheries, IT, disaster risk reduction, climate change, energy, culture, and tourism.
Dr. Henderson also stressed the importance of the Japan-CARICOM Friendship and Cooperation Fund, which has been instrumental in addressing regional challenges. He emphasized the need to adapt engagement frameworks to tackle evolving issues facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Takeshi Iwaya, reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to CARICOM during the reception. Despite the geographical distance between Japan and the Caribbean, Minister Iwaya highlighted their strong partnership and outlined Japan’s three-pillar policy for CARICOM cooperation: sustainable development addressing vulnerabilities specific to SIDS, deepening bonds through exchanges and friendships, and collaborative solutions to challenges facing the international community. Minister Iwaya expressed optimism for enhanced people-to-people connections over the next decade and reiterated Japan’s commitment to strengthening ties with CARICOM.
In the lead-up to the Ministerial Conference, CARICOM Foreign Ministers also met with Japan’s new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, who affirmed the importance of the Japan-CARICOM partnership in global diplomacy.
The Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial Conference coincided with the conclusion of the CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year 2024, a celebration of three decades of friendship between the two regions. The year also marked 60 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and CARICOM member states Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, led the CARICOM Secretariat’s delegation. In bilateral talks with Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Takuma Miyaji, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and addressing global challenges together.
The collaboration reflects a shared vision for sustainable development, regional resilience, and international cooperation, setting a strong foundation for future engagement between CARICOM and Japan.
