WASHINGTON, DC, USA – Jamaica’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell are among dozens of regional officials currently gathered at the US State Department here for the Caribbean Energy Summit, which is being hosted by United States Vice President Joe Biden.

The Summit, which aims to promote cleaner and more sustainable energy future for the Caribbean, is a key component of the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative announced by Biden in 2014. Apart from the government representatives, the summit also brings together finance, privates sector and civil society leaders for the US, Caribbean, and the international community.

Also present are Caribbean Community Secretary General Irwin LaRocque; Caribbean Development Bank President Warren Smith; Organisation of American States Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza; President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Luis Alberto Moreno; Alejandro Werner, director of the International Monetary Fund Western Hemisphere Department; World Bank Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jorge Familiar; managing director for the Americas of the European External Action Service, Christian Leffler. There are also representatives from United Kingdom, New Zeland and Spain.

The keynote address will come later today from Biden along with Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie, and Thomas McLarty III and Frederick Kemp of the Atlantic Council.

Only last Thursday, Jamaica signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the US to support clean energy activities. The MOU, which was signed in Kingston by Paulwell and newly-appointed US Ambassador to Jamaica Luis G Moreno, forms part of climate action plan outlined by US President Barack Obama and is intended to help Jamaica reduce its dependence on fossil fuels to help address the threats of climate change.

Arlene Martin-Wilkins