Nassau, The Bahamas - Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration the Hon. Brent Symonette renewed
his call for “collective commitment to excellence and sustainable results”
between The Bahamas and countries it has diplomatic relations with.
He made the call at the Honorary Consular Corps
Annual Christmas Luncheon held Thursday, December 16, 2010 at the Lyford Cay
Club.
The event is an avenue where the minister
discusses achievements and goals of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as it
relates to diplomatic relations between The Bahamas and countries represented.
“Please convey to your capitals that the
commitment and cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Government of The Bahamas remain consistent in the pursuit of policies and
measures for our mutual benefit,” Mr. Symonette told the ambassadors, honorary consuls
and representatives of organisations within the United Nations and other world
bodies.
He mentioned the January 12, 2010 earthquake,
which devastated Haiti and called on representatives of countries in The
Bahamas not to forget this catastrophic tragedy.
“We must see our commitment to Haiti through and
let the circumstances continue to give us the kind of strength needed to
persevere as we stride side by side in all our important and common
activities,” Mr. Symonette said.
The year 2010 focused on Human Rights, the
global financial crisis, climate change, food and energy security, the UN
Millennium Goals, and combating hunger, poverty and international terrorism.
The Bahamas was represented at meetings
reflecting on the need to prepare for better times, Mr. Symonette said.
“Of critical importance was the issue of Climate
Change and related sea-level rise, which can see the disappearance of Small
Island Developing States and the coastal areas of many other states, including
in our hemisphere, if global temperature rise is allowed to exceed 1.5 degrees
Celsius,” he said.
The parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change had agreed to continue efforts toward consensus
legally binding commitments by the end of 2011, and mobilisation of the $100
billion fund contained in the 2009 Copenhagen Accord to finance the support for
mitigation and adaptation processes in Developing States under a strengthened
climate regime.
At the Sixty-fifth Regular Session of the United
Nations General Assembly, Mr. Symonette participated in the 13th
Informal COFCOR Meeting of CARICOM Foreign Ministers with the Foreign Minister
of Australia in a select Meeting of the Global Governance Group (3G), a
consultative initiative to provide input into the G20 process by non-members;
the 34th Annual Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Group of 77 and
China; and bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Mexico,
Argentina, Hungary, Canada, Serbia and Bahrain.
The Bahamas also participated in Shanghai Expo
2010, at which Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham attended the closing ceremony;
and hosted the Official Visit of Chairman Wu Bangguo, of the Standing Committee
of the National’s People Congress of the People’s Republic of China.
The Bahamas welcomed the US Assistant Secretary
of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Dr Arturo Valenzuela; the US
Government provided assistance to The Bahamas with respect to the global issue
of trafficking in persons; hosted the annual Counter-Narcotics and Illegal
Migration Joint Task Force Meeting; and signed 22 Tax Information Exchange
Agreements.
“We have some important work ahead of us, not
just at the international level but also bilaterally. Work that, in some
instances begins with the election of candidates from some countries
represented. We hope to count on your support when The Bahamas puts forward her
own candidacies in the coming month.” Mr. Symonette said.