NEW YORK — Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson-Smith have been engaged in a series of bilateral discussions with representatives of a number of countries, following the opening of the 71st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly here Tuesday.

Both met with the president of Panama Juan Carlos Varela on Tuesday, while Johnson-Smith has so far held discussions with her counterparts from Trinidad, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mexico, and Morocco.

Minister Johnson-Smith is also scheduled to attend a number of ministerial meetings as part of the group of Caribbean Community foreign ministers and delegations from other countries, including the United Kingdom and Japan.

She is also scheduled to have bilateral discussions with Costa Rica and attend a ministerial meeting of the group of 77 (G77) today.

While most of the talks have so far been concentrated on strengthening bilateral co-operation, trade and investment have also featured prominently, especially in the discussions with Reem Ibrahim AL Hashimy, the UAE ‘s minister for international co-operation.

The UAE will host the next world Expo in Dubai in 2020.

— Harold Bailey