Press Releases

New York, (September 23rd 2011) - Mr Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for Foreign Affairs for Finland, convened a meeting with Foreign Affairs Ministers of both CARICOM and the Nordic countries where a consensus was arrived on a proposal for a Third CARICOM Sustainable Energy Conference to be held in Nevis in the first half of 2012 with all interested stakeholders in the field of energy in participation.

At this meeting Mr Tuomioja welcomed the new Secretary General of CARICOM Irwin LaRoque and extended an invitation to him to Finland. Furthermore, discussion was engaged on issues of climate change, matters facing the UN General Assembly, EU-Caribbean trade relations, international financial crisis, Caribbean transportation plans and strengthening of the Caribbean Sea Commission. Although it was not a decision making meeting, there was a general consensus among members about the advisability of holding a CARICOM Sustainable Energy Conference in 2012 in Nevis before the Rio+20, due to the fact that such a Conference was held already in 2008 and 2010. Finland committed to the funding of this Conference which will be organized by CARICOM.

Additionally the Nordic countries indicated a continued interest in a number of on-going programmes and their commitment to the pledges they made towards helping the Caribbean countries of which Haiti was foremost priority in aiding with the recovery from the natural disasters that devastated the country.