President Paul Kagame has rallied for a coalition between land-locked countries and sea-locked islands in the Caribbean saying that if the two blocs worked together, their voice would be heard.
He made the remarks in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, where he is attending the 45th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary.
In June 2024, Rwanda will host the third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries and according to Kagame, it would serve as an opportunity for both the land and the sea-locked countries to stand as one.
“In terms of climate vulnerability and financing needs, there are similarities between land-locked countries and small island states. We could think of it as a coalition of the land-locked and the sea-locked, if you will, working together to make sure our voices are heard.”
He went on to say that money isn’t everything, and that there is need to “concentrate on what we can do on our own, without waiting for anyone else’s approval or funding. The geopolitical interests that underpin the international system are not going to change easily or quickly. Change won’t happen, just because it’s the right thing to do, or because we point out the unfairness. We should not be comfortable blaming others for our problems, including the harm we inflict on ourselves.”
In emphasising collaboration, Kagame said that smaller countries gather strength by working together in their regional organisations, integrating their economies, and sharing infrastructure costs.
He expressed optimism in the collaboration, adding that land-locked and sea-locked countries can enable free movement of people by removing obstacles to travel and exchange.
He gave an example of such cooperation where he pointed at Guyana, Barbados, and Rwanda that have embarked on a programme of mutual support for the local manufacturing of vaccines and medicines.
“The next step is to commit to a pooled procurement mechanism that will make these facilities sustainable over the long run,” he said.
Connectivity
He listed opportunities that would come with such cooperation.
“Another clear opportunity is to solve the issues of connectivity between Africa and the Caribbean in terms of transport and telecommunications. Digital jobs will be a critical driver for high-quality youth employment for our economies, and also a key lever for offering our brightest young people an alternative to migration,” he said.
Kagame then explained that history shows that the Caribbean people and Africans are intertwined and are inseparable in many wayst.
“The Organisation of African Unity, as the African Union was originally known, was founded just ten years earlier, in 1963. (before CARICOM was formed) These anniversaries are an opportunity to respond to the desire for closer collaboration between our two regions. We are closely linked,” he said.
Haiti
During the session, Kagame took time to speak about the situation in Haiti which he said cannot be ignored.
“The history of my country shows that no matter how bad things are, nothing is beyond repair, and there is always a way forward. The turning point starts with the leaders in the country, and the wider region, at different levels, coming together to forge a new, unified path,” he said.
When that process begins to occur, he said, then external support can be part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem.
“Let’s come together, as Africa and the Caribbean, and do the best we can for ourselves and our people. If we are determined to join forces, there is no one who can impede that. More importantly, it will benefit all of us,” he said.
