Europe willing to work with region

HEAD of the Europe Delegation in Barbados, Ambassador Daniela Tramacere, has said that Europe stands ready to assist Barbados and other Caribbean countries at a time when they are being graduated from soft loans.

Ambassador Tramacere gave this assurance yesterday, during a courtesy call she made to The Barbados Advocate, during which time she said that Europe wants to step up its political relationship with the Caribbean, without forfeiting its co-operation relationship.

She said that while Europe’s co-operation with regional countries at the bilateral level has gone down, it remains strong at the regional level, and that the latter more than compensates for the decline.

She recalled, for example, that grants to the Caribbean under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) were approximately 146 million euros; those under the 11th EDF went up to 346 million euros.

Ambassador Tramacere explained that by far the 11th EDF outweighed the decrease in bilateral co-operation.

Ambassador Tramacere, who took up her appointment in Barbados last year, was based previously in Trinidad and Tobago. She is responsible for Barbados and the countries making the OECS. She met with Senior staff of The Barbados Advocate, headed by Executive Editor, Gillian Marshall, during which time they discussed a number of issues.

Those issues included Europe’s future relations with the Caribbean, Brexit, Economic Partnership Agreement, migration in Europe, the changing world environment, governance, and climate change. Both sides have pledged to cooperate more.

Ambassador Tramacere was accompanied by Wayne Lewis, Information Officer at the EU Delegation Office. (JB)