St. Lucia’s Prime Minister, Phillip J Pierre, is expected to address the United States-Caribbean Dialogue that gets underway in Washington on Thursday.
Pierre will be addressing the Dialogue in his capacity of chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping CARICOM.
A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, said the Dialogue brings Caribbean leaders together with United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau for’ high-level discussions on energy security, economic growth and commercial diplomacy, defence coordination and disaster response’.
It said that the meeting provides an opportunity to advance cooperation between the Caribbean Community and the United States, ‘with an emphasis on practical support, investment and sustained engagement in areas of shared interest’
Pierre in his address is expected to emphasise cooperation that addresses the everyday concerns of Caribbean people, including affordable energy, investment and employment, public safety and recovery after disasters.
In April 2009, at the Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the United States undertook to strengthen its security cooperation with the Caribbean and since then it has met regularly with representatives of its Caribbean partners to lay the foundation for this strengthened partnership.
In 2010, the United States hosted the Inaugural Caribbean-U.S. Security Cooperation Dialogue to deepen the commitment of the United States and to begin the institutionalization of a lasting and committed partnership founded in mutual respect and common interests. Since 2009, seven high-level security cooperation dialogues have been held in Washington and in the Caribbean.