Outgoing Head of EU Delegation wants more exchanges

Outgoing Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Jamaica, Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska, wants to see more cultural and sports exchanges between the EU and Jamaica.

“I would love to see a bigger exchange of people, easier travel, more travel, cultural exchanges, and sports exchanges, because people are drawn to things Jamaican in Europe,” she said, during an interview with JIS News.

Ambassador Wasilewska, who officially leaves Jamaica at the end of August to take up another appointment, said more Jamaicans need to experience the diversity of Europe. She mentioned the cold weather of Northern Europe, the different languages and “the Mediterranean appetite for outdoor life and food”.

“To see the beauty of our countries as well. I think that, in itself, would automatically lead to a stronger relationship,” she added.

According to the Ambassador, while there have been visits to the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Belgium by Jamaicans, “very few have been to Hungary, Slovakia, Finland, Poland and Romania”.

“There is so much more to explore and it’s worth it,” she said.

Additionally, the Ambassador expressed the need for “more business-to-business relationships” between the countries.

“We need to attract more investments from Europe because the opportunities here are fantastic,” she said.

She referred to the work of the Caribbean Chamber of Commerce in Europe (CCCE), which she said was set back due to the advent of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The CCCE was set up to promote trade and commerce between the wider Caribbean and the United Kingdom/Europe to attract European investments to strengthen the Caribbean economy.