Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentleman. Today it is my pleasure to be a part of an historic moment for the Caribbean Community and for Israel. Ambassador, as I accept your letter of credence, your accreditation as Israel’s first Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM is welcomed by our Community.
For those of us who know you Ambassador, it seems most fitting that you would be charged by your Government with the important mission of cementing ties between Israel and CARICOM, for you have been integral to the successes already registered in that regard. The tenacity and commitment that you have brought to your role as the Ambassador of Israel to a number of CARICOM Member States is known to all of us who have interacted with you. These qualities have served to lift the profile of Israel within the Caribbean. I am convinced that your record as a fully engaged and diligent diplomat will serve to further enhance the relations between Israel and CARICOM. CARICOM has much to gain and learn from Israel and, as in any meaningful partnership, I am sure that Israel has much to learn from the Caribbean Community.
CARICOM States have benefitted from a range of technical cooperation initiatives undertaken by Israel in areas that are critical to the Region’s development. These areas include health, agriculture, security, entrepreneurship, particularly for small businesses, and youth development.
Ambassador, I look forward to the development of a more structured and formal mechanism for cooperation between CARICOM and Israel in the years ahead. This will allow for expansion in the scope and depth of the existing cooperation arrangements that would result in greater development dividends for our peoples.
Two important areas in which CARICOM could benefit from this strengthened relationship at the regional level are, Protected Agriculture and Water Management. CARICOM welcomes the opportunity to begin discussions on how to take advantage of the expertise and renowned technical capacity of Israel in these areas.
Your Excellency, may I take this opportunity to thank Israel for its contribution to the Permanent Memorial to the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade which is being spearheaded by CARICOM. Allow me to draw to your Government’s attention the call being sounded by our Region’s leaders for attention to be paid to the issue of reparations for the consequences of slavery, that heinous crime against humanity, which has left an enduring legacy on our civilisation. Israel is perhaps uniquely able, amongst nations, to comprehend our call for reparations, your people having successfully sounded a similar call earlier on for the abhorrent tragedy of the holocaust. It is my hope that CARICOM can learn from your experience and claim similar success in having our call heard and heeded in time to come.
Your Excellency, there are a number of other priority matters for the Community on which I firmly believe CARICOM and Israel can work together at the international level. These are the issues of Non- Communicable Diseases, the Arms Trade Treaty, and the inclusion of disabled persons on the Post 2015 Development Agenda. CARICOM has taken note of the active role played by Israel in drafting the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as its commitment to implementing the Convention at home and at the international level. CARICOM places great importance on this issue and will be pleased to work in close partnership with Israel on the matter.
For the Caribbean and many other parts of the world, non-communicable diseases constitute a grave public health and development threat that requires strong global partnerships to combat. The United Nations took an important step in the right direction when, in 2011, the Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases was agreed. Momentum must not be lost, and Israel and CARICOM countries can form a meaningful partnership in ensuring that momentum is increased.
Your Excellency, the Caribbean Community looks forward to working with you during your tenure to strengthen our development cooperation and friendship between our countries. Once more, we bid you warm congratulations and wish you great success as you assume the responsibility of Israel’s Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM.
