St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda – The Rt Honourable Dr Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saint Kitts and Nevis, continues robust engagement at SIDS4 in Antigua.
On the second day of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), Dr Denzil Douglas, alongside Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew, actively participated in several high-level meetings and bilateral discussions.
They both attended the High-Level Meeting on Mobilization of Resources for SIDS Side Event which focused on marshalling resources for Small Island Developing States.
Subsequently, Dr. Douglas conducted several bilateral meetings with Development Partners beginning with the Denmark Delegation headed by Her Excellency Christina Markus Lassen, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations, and His Excellency Holger K Nielsen, Special Representative, and former Prime Minister of Denmark. Discussions centred on enhancing diplomatic ties and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Ambassador Lassen highlighted Denmark’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council and sought feedback from Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Secondly, Dr. Douglas engaged with the Cuban Delegation led by His Excellency Salvador Valdes Mesa, Vice-President of Cuba. In emphasizing the strong historical relationship and the landmark scholarship program of which Prime Minister Drew was a beneficiary. Vice-President Valdes Mesa appreciated Saint Kitts and Nevis’ advocacy for Cuba.
Along with Prime Minister Drew, Dr Douglas also met with US Secretary for the Interior, Her Excellency Deb Haaland, and His Excellency Roger Nyhus, US Ambassador to Saint Kitts and Nevis. Discussions reaffirmed commitment to the Sustainable Island State Agenda.
Later, Minister Douglas met with the Indian delegation Mr. Pavan Kapoor, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and His Excellency Dr. Amit Telang, High Commissioner of India and was accompanied by Her Excellency Dr. Mutryce Williams, Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Dr. Douglas discussed priorities including renewable energy, creative economy, and diplomatic expansion. Mr. Kapoor outlined opportunities to support these goals.
Finally, Dr. Douglas connected with His Excellency Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Natural Resources and COP29 President-designate, and His Excellency Ruslan Rzayev, Ambassador to Saint Kitts and Nevis who officially invited Saint Kitts and Nevis to participate in COP29 and discussed priority areas for the conference.
Saint Kitts and Nevis value the opportunities provided by SIDS4 to strengthen diplomatic ties and seek partnerships to support the Sustainable Island State Agenda.