The Caribbean is set to receive some US$22 million from the US to bolster regional development.
The US embassy in Georgetown yesterday announced in a release that its government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will be handing over an additional US$22.8 million in new funding for 2022 to support Caribbean regional development goals related to climate resilience, youth security, information and communication technology, private sector engagement and health.
This funding, the release informed, also includes US$10 million to combat food insecurity in the Caribbean to support priority areas identified by CARICOM under President Biden’s Caribbean Zero Hunger Plan.
The announcement coincides with the joint USAID and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) annual review of mutual objectives and priorities concluded on September 1.
In 2021, the agency announced its 2020-2025 Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS) which focussed on promoting accountable institutions, economic development, and private sector-led growth.
“The annual review speaks to the importance of CARICOM as a strategic partner on development issues and how highly the United States values the CARICOM and member states commitment to democracy in the Caribbean region,” US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch was quoted as saying.
She noted several of the same issues, namely, energy, food security, and finance were raised at the Summit of the Americas, and global climate concerns also were discussed at the Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030.
Meanwhile, CARICOM Deputy Secretary General, Dr Armstrong Alexis, remarked that “CARICOM is pleased to have USAID as a partner. USAID’s support for the CARICOM 25 by 2025 agenda is an important step to achieving food security in the region and building a stronger and more vibrant Caribbean for all.”
And according to the release, USAID Regional Representative for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Clinton D White, reaffirmed USAID’s commitment to long term development, economic recovery, and support to climate change, and food security. He also assured that the partnership between the CARICOM Secretariat and USAID will continue to prioritise the prosperity of the Caribbean and its people.
Speaking at the annual portfolio review, White said, “The only way that we can achieve our objectives and goals is through a more inclusive development approach. That is why USAID and the CARICOM Secretariat value these engagements to continuously evaluate needs, priorities, and remind ourselves of our moral obligations to achieve locally-led regional goals.”
