Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, has commended Rwandan President His Excellency Paul Kagame for his strong commitment to the Caribbean, particularly in his role as the current Commonwealth Chair-in-Office.
The Secretary-General expressed her appreciation following her participation alongside President Paul Kagame, the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, in the 50th-anniversary celebrations of both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and The Bahamas’ independence.
A moment of solidarity
Reflecting on the significance of President Kagame’s participation in these two events, Secretary-General Scotland said:
“It was an extraordinary moment for me, serving as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, to stand alongside the Caribbean region as we commemorated two significant milestones: the golden jubilee of CARICOM and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
“Yet, it held an even greater significance to have President Kagame, in his capacity as the Chair-in-Office, representing the 2.5 billion people of the Commonwealth, join us in expressing his heartfelt gratitude and admiration to The Bahamas and CARICOM for their remarkable achievements.
“This was a powerful display of African-Caribbean-Commonwealth solidarity. As Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, I consider myself privileged to have witnessed this remarkable moment, where two regions came together in the spirit of solidarity and partnership.”
The Commonwealth Chair-in-Office position is held by the host nation of the previous Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and is maintained until the next CHOGM.
CARICOM’s 50th anniversary
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas in Trinidad and Tobago in 1973, which led to the establishment of CARICOM.
The organisation’s celebration of this milestone event coincided with the 45th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Port-of-Spain. The meeting was attended by eminent leaders, including the outgoing CARICOM Chair-in-Office, the Hon Philip Edward Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas; the incoming CARICOM Chair-in-Office, the Hon Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica; the meeting host, Dr Hon Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago; and the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda.
A call for closer co-operation
Addressing the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Port-of-Spain on 5 July 2023, President Kagame called for closer co-operation between Africa and the Caribbean to tackle shared challenges and unlock mutual benefits.
The President further highlighted the significance of the Bridgetown Initiative – a plan for the reform of development finance led by Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados.
He said:
“We are already seeing changes in the global conversation on climate, vulnerability, and debt. Countries like ours cannot print money when we face a crisis. We have to borrow. Yet some of us are no longer eligible for concessional interest rates.
“Tools like the United Nations Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, and the Commonwealth’s Universal Vulnerability Index, reveal the special needs of Small Island Developing States … We can work together to advocate for a more responsive and inclusive international financial architecture.”
Furthermore, the President outlined specific areas of collaboration between the two regions, including improving transparent and telecommunications connectivity, supporting local vaccine and medicine manufacturing, and leveraging digital jobs to drive high-quality youth employment.
He emphasised that the Commonwealth Secretariat has various initiatives in this area, which could give a head-start to both regions.
The Bahamas’ golden jubilee
Following the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, President Kagame and Secretary-General Scotland were in The Bahamas to celebrate the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.
In the capital city of Nassau, President Paul Kagame was awarded the nation’s highest honour on 10 July 2023 in recognition of his friendship with the government and people of the Bahamas.
Presenting the award, the Hon Philip Edward Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, said:
“[It is] an honour to bestow the Order of Excellence on my friend Paul Kagame. His leadership and vision inspire us all. His presence at our 50th Independence Day adds a special dimension to our celebration.”