PM Pushes Global Partnership for Development

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller on February 10 called for unity and greater partnership among countries in order to advance sustainable development for all. The Prime Minister made the call during her address to members of the diplomatic corps at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Kingston, as part of Diplomatic Week 2015 activities. “We recognize that a collective response in the global spirit of cooperation and concern for each other’s welfare will ensure that we leave a lasting and sustainable legacy,” the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Simpson Miller urged nations to unite and “join the UN Secretary General’s call for this year to be a year of action for the sustainable development agenda as we seek to close the gap of inequalities across the world; a year when major steps will be taken to achieve global peace and stability; and a year of break-through on the issues which continue to retard our development.”

Reflecting on the theme for Diplomatic Week 2015 – Building Partnerships for Sustainable Development – the Prime Minister pointed to the vital link between “Jamaica’s growth and development agenda and our foreign policy goals and objectives.” She noted that despite the challenges in Jamaica, there have been some encouraging developments on the international front. These, she said, include further signs of recovery from the global financial crisis and a decline in international oil prices. With the country having embarked on the road to economic recovery, the Prime Minister declared that: “Jamaica remains open to doing local and global business on an even bigger scale than before.”

The Prime Minister also signaled that “in 2015, we (Jamaica) will also be strident in our approaches to the global agenda.” Pointing to a number of cross-cutting issues affecting the region in a direct way, such poverty, climate change, food security among others, the Prime Minister said that Jamaica is committed to the global processes towards a development agenda for the post-2015 period.

She insisted that the “Post-2015 Development Agenda must seek to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development by 2030.” The Prime Minister also called for attention to be given to the developmental status of each country, in particular, Small Island Developing States and countries classified as Middle Income. She noted that Jamaica remained committed to the regional integration process within the Caribbean Community and the wider Latin American and Caribbean region even as it continues dialogue and cooperation at the hemispheric level through the organization of American States (OAS).

Diplomatic Week 2015 began with a Service of Worship on February 8 and will conclude on February 12 with a tour of Liberty Hall and the Victoria Craft Market. Other activities include bilateral appointments and courtesy calls, a presentation by JAMPRO on Building Partnerships with Jamaican Business and sector presentations by various Ministers of Government.