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CARICOM Chairman Pledges Support to St Vincent and the Grenadines

Image: Heads of Government at the Opening Ceremony of the 40th Regular Meeting of CARICOM in Saint Lucia.
Heads of Government at the Opening Ceremony of the 40th Regular Meeting of CARICOM in Saint Lucia.

Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has called on fellow leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to support St Vincent and Grenadines’ tenure on the United Nations Security Council.

Prime Minister Chastanet, who assumed Chairmanship of CARICOM on July 1st 2019, during an Address to the Opening Ceremony of The Fortieth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Saint Lucia, officially congratulated St Vincent and the Grenadines on the achievement.

“It is another example of what can be achieved once there is firm resolve,”

stated the CARICOM Chairman. “All of CARICOM rejoices in this triumph; recognizing that this is a golden opportunity for St Vincent and the Grenadines to take on board the calls for reforms at the UN body.”

The Prime Minister noted that when Saint Lucia was elected president of the UN General Assembly in 2003, CARICOM provided invaluable support.

“Understanding the importance of this new development, Saint Lucia has pledged a contribution to St Vincent and the Grenadines in maintaining and funding the office. I am sure my colleague Prime Minister will not mind my saying that although this seat was won by St Vincent, it is also a CARICOM success and we are behind you 100 percent. Hence, I call on members to also pledge their support to St Vincent in maintaining this office and ensuring a successful tenure.”

Following a secret ballot held in June, the UN General Assembly elected five countries to the Security Council, including St Vincent and the Grenadines, the smallest nation ever to secure a seat. Also elected were Estonia, Niger, Tunisia, and Vietnam.

The five States will take up their seats as non-permanent members of the Security Council in January 2020, replacing Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Peru and Poland.

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