As Jamaica and the UK mark 60 years of diplomatic ties, the international locations are transferring to strengthen relations within the areas of local weather change, safety, and commerce on the bilateral and multilateral ranges.
State Minister within the Ministry of Overseas Affairs and Overseas Commerce, Senator Leslie Campbell, made the disclosure as he addressed a latest ceremony to mark the event on the Ministry’s downtown Kingston headquarters,.
The 2 international locations established diplomatic relations on August 2, 1962. Jamaica is an lively member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the UK’s third-largest export market within the Caribbean after Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.
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Campbell mentioned Jamaica and the UK have a particular relationship that has matured and reworked from centuries of colonial rule to one in all mutual respect and understanding.
“The UK has stood with us over these many many years, offering important assist to sectors important for Jamaica’s sustainable progress and growth,” he famous.
Campbell mentioned the UK has provided “invaluable help” to Jamaica’s safety and justice infrastructure.
He cited bilateral cooperation packages, valued at roughly 81.3 million kilos, which embody assist for at-risk youth, countering critical and arranged crime, and the reintegration of offenders into society.
The state minister mentioned Jamaica has additionally benefited from ongoing cooperation on the regional stage in areas corresponding to well being, safety, and catastrophe resilience and restoration.
“We’re happy that there are at the moment three regional packages in these areas valued at roughly 7.2 million kilos from which international locations like Jamaica can profit,” he added.
The ceremony, to mark the diplomatic ties between Jamaica and the UK was amongst a collection of occasions attended by visiting British State Minister for the Americas and the Abroad Territories within the Overseas, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace, Jesse Norman, throughout a tour of the area.