Policies In Place To Develop And Maintain Trade And Foreign Relations

Governor-General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, says the Government continues to execute policies and activities to develop and maintain Jamaica’s trade and foreign relations for national recovery and development.

“These efforts were instrumental in acquiring donations valued at more than J$370 million in support of Jamaica’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts,” he said, while delivering the 2022 Throne Speech, which signals the official opening of the new parliamentary year, at the House of Representatives, today (February 10).

Under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Governor-General noted that the Government will continually leverage its relationships at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels, and with the diaspora.

To support this, he pointed out that the Government passed the Authentication (Foreign Public Documents) Act 2020 and implemented the new cost-effective and simplified process of authenticating public documents intended for use overseas and foreign documents to be used in the country.

“This will increase our global connectivity and make it easier to do business,” the Governor-General said.

He pointed out that a new arrangement to “expand exports of West Indies Sea Island Cotton and the generation of trade and investment leads, will be done in several critical areas”.

“The Government continues to advance the inclusive and sustainable economic growth agenda through the National Foreign Trade Policy and the Economic Diplomacy Programme, including securing funding for the review and development of a market strategy for the European Union coffee market,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Governor-General shared that three new consulates in Africa and one in Europe were opened and seven new Honorary Investment Advisors/Special Envoys appointed, to strengthen and expand the global network of Honorary Consuls.

He further said that in light of Jamaica’s 60th Independence, which will be celebrated in August of this year, the process of “clearing the name of the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica’s first National Hero, [will be advanced]”.

“To that end, the Government will utilise the avenues available, to intercede with the Government of the United States, building on past and existing efforts to lift the stain of his wrongful conviction,” he said.