Discussions to Strengthen Jamaica/Spain Bilateral Relations

Spain’s Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs, Elena Salgado arrived in the island on Thursday (October 12), on a four-day working visit, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Jamaica and her country.
Speaking at a press conference held yesterday (October 13), at the Spanish Embassy in Kingston, Mrs. Salgado informed that she had met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Anthony Hylton and Minister of Health, Horace Dalley, to discuss political, economic and social issues affecting both countries.
The discussions with the Foreign Minister, she disclosed, focused on deepening co-operation efforts between both governments. “We shared our points of view about development, the role of multi-lateral institutions, the cooperation between Jamaica and Spain, in terms of strengthening political links between our two governments”.
In addition she said, “we discussed the strengthening also of relationship between Jamaica and CARICOM, with South America, where Spain has a very important role and place, and also in strengthening our cooperation in the economic field,” she said.
Mrs. Salgado has been nominated as Spain’s new Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), as the former Director General died in May 2005.
“I had the opportunity to give the Health Minister a document with statements if I were to be elected as Director General, so the conversation was mostly about the type of vision that is needed in the WHO. We both think that the role of women and health is important to other social issues such as the fight against poverty, development, malnutrition, and the fight against discrimination, especially against women,” she informed.
She also discussed with Mr. Dalley the role that the World Health Assembly has to play in the area of health.
Mrs. Salgado, said that if she were to become the new Director General, she would address issues relating to the poor and their health needs. Her focus would be providing sustainable aid to countries as well as stop the brain drain of medical workers from less developed countries, as she said this activity was damaging the health systems of these countries.
“The WHO also has to focus on accountability, transparency, efficiency in the centre of the WHO agenda and we have to continue the fight against diseases that we know and those that we do not know”.
She is the first Cabinet Minister from Spain to visit Jamaica.