Permanent Secretary Newton attends 15TH COFCOR Meeting in Suriname

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Elvis Newton

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MAY 4TH 2012 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Elvis Newton is representing Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Sam Condor is attending the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR). He is accompanied by Foreign Service Officer Ms. Nyian Farrell.

The Council, comprising of the Community’s Foreign Ministers is holding its Fifteenth Meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname and seeks ways to strengthen co-co-ordination of foreign policy among the Community’s Member States.

Foreign Policy Co-ordination is one of the four pillars of CARICOM along with Economic Integration, Human and Social Development and Security Co-operation.

The Council also seeks to finalise the Community’s preparations for a number of upcoming interactions with the international community including the CARICOM-Mexico Summit in Barbados on 21 May, the Rio+ 20 Summit in Brazil, in June and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of theParties18 (COP 18) scheduled for Qatar later this year.

The Ministers are also addressing issues and development engaging the attention of the United Nations and the Organisation of American States. The latter body stages its General Assembly in Cochabamba, Bolivia on 3 to 5 June 2012.

The Council will receive high level visitors including the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Richard Marles, MP and the Foreign Ministers of Brazil and Finland, their Excellencies Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, and Erkki Tuomioja, respectively and His Excellency Willy Claes, Minister in the Royal Council of Belgium.

Domestically, the Council is also receiving updates on developments in Haiti, Anguilla and the Turks and Caicos Islands.