KINGSTOWN — Having achieved unanimous support, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is now the first CARICOM country to assume the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States (CELAC), for the period 2023, The Vincentian reported on Friday, January 27.
At the Seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government convened in Buenos Aires, Argentina on January 24, 2023, the thirty-three (33) member organisation consented to St. Vincent and the Grenadines being the Pro Tempore President for one year.
On assuming the President’s chair, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said, “First of all, let me express my gratitude for choosing me to serve as Celac’s pro tempore president in 2023. One of the smallest countries in this organization is St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and over the years, we have collaborated with Celac, “Gonsalves made his remarks at the conclusion of the plenary session of the organization’s VII Summit of Heads of State and Government in Buenos Aires.
He expressed his pride in his nation serving as the first president of the Caribbean Community (CAICOM).
And as for road ahead, he declared that he would try to “capitalize on the wonderful work done by Mexico and Argentina,” the past two nations to preside over CELAC, and added, “We are going to work very closely with all the governments.”
During the Summit, member states committed to several declarations that will guide the Community’s agenda and policies including special declarations on gender equality, food systems, and ocean conservation and on the need to put an end to blockade on Cuba.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ delegation was headed by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves; Prime Minister, and included Senator Keisal Peters – Minister Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, His Excellency Gareth Bynoe; Ambassador for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-Resident in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and His Excellency Ambassador Andreas Wickham.
See complete article in The Vincentian at https://thevincentian.com/svg-assumes-presidency-of-celac-p25698-149.htm
