Caribbean, EU deepening ties at energy conference

Yesterday’s start of the inaugural European Union-CARIFORUM Sustainable Energy Conference set the backdrop for a deepening of cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the Caribbean region.

 

Speaking at the commencement of the two-day conference taking place at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, the EU Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, OCES and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, Daniela Tramacere said the conference also represents a unique opportunity to push forward the agenda for the Caribbean’s full transition to a renewable, efficient and modern energy service, with a structure that has an enduring capability.

 

“And to seal the commitment between the EU and the Caribbean region, today we will have an important ceremony, whereby a set of programme documents will be signed and this represents a key moment in the history of cooperation between the European Union and the Caribbean region,” she said.

 

The signing ceremony in the first stance saw officials initialling the Joint Declaration on Reinforced Cooperation in the field of Sustainable Energy between the EU, the European Investment Bank and CARIFORUM, which us intended to support the Caribbean in its ambitious targets taken in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and to support partner countries prepare for the implementation of the nationally determined contribution in full alignment of the Global Sustainable Development Goals, adopted last September. Communications Coordi-nator of the EU in Barbados Stephen Boyce added that the four other documents are financial agreements under ongoing regional and bilateral development cooperation including the European Development Fund.

 

One of the documents, Boyce said was also a financing agreement between the Government of Barbados and the European Commission to the tune of 3 million euro for the Barbados Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Sector under the 11th European Development Fund.

 

“This will be a pre-signature as the Prime Minister announced; we will be signing the document officially at a later date. This programme aims at assisting Barbados in advancing towards energy self-sufficiency from local renewable sources, in line with Barbados’ commitment to the United Nations of reducing its total and per capita greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

 

Boyce explained that the purpose is also to get the private sector engaged in renewable energy and consumers making increasing use of energy efficiency measures. That document was signed on behalf of Barbados by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Darcy Boyce and Jolita Butkeviciene, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, European Commission’s International Cooperation and Development Directorate General. (JRT)