BY JULIE CARRINGTON | OCT 21, 2022
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley greets European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilanien, at the start of their recent courtesy call at Parliament. (B. Hinds/BGIS)
Matters pertaining to climate vulnerabilities and the effects of other external shocks on the region were among the areas discussed during a recent meeting with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and European Union (EU) Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilanien.
During the talks at Parliament recently, Ms. Mottley updated the EU Commissioner on financing secured from international funding agencies to safeguard the island from climate and other crises.
The Prime Minister also raised the issue of the World Bank’s graduation policy that is based on a country’s gross domestic product per capita and tends to exclude some countries like The Bahamas and Barbados from development financing.
She contended: “If I am being excluded on the basis of per capita income, then you have effectively condemned me to not being able to respond to our vulnerabilities.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Urpilanien commended Ms. Mottley for her consistent messages about the effects of climate change on vulnerable societies, as she emphasised the need for partnerships.
“I think we need even more than ever partnerships around the world…and that is why I am happy that I am able to announce all sorts of additional financial assistance for Caribbean countries, so that we can improve your food production capacity in the region. One lesson that I have learnt from this war is that we have to seize the moment…that we have to reinforce and strengthen autonomy,” Ms. Urpilanien stated.
The two officials also discussed a range of development projects, as well as Barbados’ green energy initiatives.
