CARICOM Chair Announces Increased Contribution for Disaster Management
The CARICOM/Mexico Summit concluded just after five o’clock this evening at the Best Western Hotel and it was immediately followed by a press conference led by Doctor Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, who is the current chair of CARICOM. Doctor Mitchell summarized the top-level diplomatic conference by stating that Mexico has pledged to strengthen Mexico’s monetary contribution to the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility. CCRIF has been instrumental in assisting hurricane-ravaged countries within the region in their rebuilding efforts by disbursing funds through an insurance facility. The discussion also focused heavily on climate resilient development moving forward in the wake of massive hurricanes in September.
Keith Mitchell
Dr. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada
“Our meeting between Mexico and the CARICOM region was held in a very friendly atmosphere bequeathing of the close relationship between CARICOM and Mexico. Virtually from the beginning of CARICOM, Mexico has been a cooperative partner with us and today’s meeting served as a critical platform to strengthen that relationship. We use the opportunity friends, to thank the distinguished President of Mexico for his country’s sustained support for our region. Our discussions today for, obvious reasons, had some focus on disaster management and recovery. Both CARICOM and Mexico have been hit hard in recent times by hurricanes in the Caribbean and earthquakes in Mexico. The president announced Mexico’s financial contribution to strengthen the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility, despite the fact that he had his own problems in his own country. We agreed to collaborate to ensure the success of the upcoming International Donor Conference convened by CARICOM and the UN to take place on the twenty-first of November, 2017 at the United Nations in New York. To coordinate assistance for member states most affected by Hurricane Irma and Maria, ensuring an outcome that includes clear and concrete results. We discussed also how best to increase the resilience of our countries to the cause of climate change and committed to strengthen cooperation within the region and whatever development partners, international organizations and agencies towards enhancing support for greater adaptation and mitigation measures.”
