UK-Caribbean ministers highlight COVID-19 as `urgent, overriding priority’

The virtual meeting (Ministry of Foreign Affairs photo)

Ministers from the United Kingdom and the Caribbean have pledged co-operation on COVID-19 and a raft of other areas.

The joint communique from the March 18 virtual meeting recognised the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic as an urgent and overriding priority, and that the UK’s support in the fight against the COVID-19 was welcomed by the Caribbean.

The communique noted that agriculture and food and nutrition security in the context of post-COVID-19 economic recovery, building resilience and achieving sustainable development was given priority by Caribbean countries. The Forum committed to exploring co-operation and investment possibilities, in this area, in the context of the United Kingdom-Caribbean partnership. There was agreement for timely international support for exceptional measures to ensure debt sustainability and address new financing gaps as part of a short- to medium term recovery package.